Lights out over Sydney for Earth Hour
Image: Sydney's recent Post Your YES party. Image: Ann-Marie Calilhanna.
By ALLISON HORE
If you couldn’t get down to the harbour and watch it light up on New Year’s Eve why not get down to the harbour and watch the lights go out for Earth Hour?
This Saturday the 27th of March, at 8:30pm local time, millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour as a symbolic action in support of climate change action.
Earth Hour started in Sydney in 2007 and has been held annually since then, with WWF Australia asking individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour. This year, they are encouraging people to make the switch to renewable energy to help reduce Australia’s carbon emissions and contribution to climate change.
WWF Australia says 2021 will be a crucial year when it comes to climate change and the impact it has on the world’s wildlife. In a few months time, the 15th meeting of the United Nations Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held. At this meeting delegates will discuss the state of nature and biodiversity and make plans for the next 10 years.
“With enough public support, this conference could be the conference where we secure an international commitment – signed by world leaders – to end nature loss and put our planet on the path to recovery by 2030,” explains WWF Australia.
“By speaking up for nature this Earth Hour, we can put the spotlight on our planet and spark global conversations on the need for change, building momentum and a “domino effect” that directly influences the direction of this crucial United Nations Biodiversity Conference in a few months time.”
Those interested in taking part in Earth Hour can sign up on WWF Australia’s website or get down to one of the harbourside vantage points to watch Sydney go dark for the environment.
Some of the major Sydney landmarks participating in Earth Hour this year include the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, Luna Park, Observatory Hill, the Australian Museum and Charter Hall.
