EARTH HOUR 2023 - CAN AN HOUR CHANGE THE WORLD?
Since our beginnings in 2007, Earth Hour has been known for the “lights off” moment, with individuals from around the globe switching off their lights to show symbolic support for the planet and to raise awareness of the environmental issues affecting it.
More than 15 years later, we are now at a tipping point with our climate and nature crises, putting at risk the fate of our one home and all our futures. We are on course to breach by 2030 the 1.5°C global temperature increase limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement, and nature - the source of our very livelihoods and one of our biggest allies against the climate crisis - is also under severe threat, facing alarming and unprecedented rates of loss globally.
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EARTH HOUR 2022 - SHAPE OUR FUTURE 'PEACE BY PEACE'
To live in harmony with nature is only possible when there is peace between humans.
We are working for a world in which people live in harmony with nature - around the world, and in Central and Eastern Europe. But this is only possible if there is peace between humans. Climate crisis, nature loss and the harm caused by war to our planet is harming every one of us. We must urgently restore harmony between people and the natural world everywhere. WWF-CEE is appalled by the escalating Russian aggression in Ukraine, which violates both the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law. We condemn the alarming measures, extreme violence, destruction and the attacks against civilians in Ukraine. The catastrophic humanitarian crisis is deepening rapidly and an environmental crisis looms larger with every day that the war continues across Ukraine and the region. We stand together with our colleagues, those affected and everyone around the world that is hoping for a peaceful resolution. Peace among people is the foundation of building a future in which people and nature thrive.
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... AND THIS WAS EARTH HOUR 2021
"Shining a Spotlight on the Perilous State of the Planet, and Calling for Urgent Action to Set Nature on the Path of Recovery"
- Earth Hour 2021 comes ahead of key events where decisions will be taken by world leaders on climate action, sustainable development, and nature to define our future and the future of the planet.
- Scientific evidence shows that nature loss is linked to an increased risk of pandemics.
26 March 2021 – Tomorrow evening on Saturday, 27 March at 8:30 p.m. (local time!), one of the largest global grassroots movements for the environment, will virtually bring together millions of people, businesses and leaders from around the world to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to address nature loss and climate change by switching off their lights for one hour. With evidence pointing towards a close link between nature's destruction and rising incidences of infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19, Earth Hour 2021 will unite people online to speak up for nature. This global event comes ahead of key moments when world leaders will take critical decisions on nature, climate change and sustainable development, setting the course of our future.
In the midst of the global COVID-19 health crisis, Earth Hour marks a moment of solidarity for the planet as global communities unite and organise events digitally. Consequently, WWF Central and Eastern Europe and the national offices that comprise it (WWF-Bulgaria, WWF-Hungary, WWF-Romania, WWF-Slovakia and WWF-Ukraine) will once again commemorate Earth Hour 2021 completely online this year.
What’s happening?
WWF-Romania is organising a series of online workshops for people to reconnect with nature, with their loved ones and with themselves. For example, there is a workshop on how to prepare healthy food by valuing local resources with tips from Daniela Graura tonight on the 26th. There will also be a workshop on the 27th with Andreea Ioniță (Suntuncopac) on how to relax and recharge with Yin & Yang yoga.
WWF-Slovakia and the Rescue Centre for Injured Animals in Zázrivá are launching the CHANCE FOR ANIMALS Campaign to raise funds to develop the Centre’s facilities and allow it to help more injured animals to get back to nature. Help them on Earth Hour and donate here. We have a shared responsibility to protect wildlife of our planet.
WWF-Ukraine is using the day to launch their My Voice for Old-Growth Forests Campaign. WWF-Ukraine and its partners have identified almost 100,000 hectares of ancient forests (by law: virgin, quasi-virgin and natural forests) in the Carpathians and Polissya. More than 33,000 hectares of them are still either unprotected or have insufficient conservation status and are in danger of destruction due to logging, development of unsustainable tourist infrastructure, roads and other economic activities. Together with thousands of Ukrainians, they are making a stand to preserve Ukraine's oldest forests for future generations.
Besides switching off the lights, WWF-Hungary is using the event to encourage people to keep their eyes open and be environmentally-conscious in general or in certain parts of their lives - not just during this one hour. As always, lights will be switched off at certain national monuments and buildings such as Parliament and Heroes' Square in Budapest, and in several other municipalities in Hungary.
WWF-Bulgaria is turning the Earth Hour into an Earth Month this year, starting from Earth Hour and lasting until Earth Day on 22 April. The focus will be on the protection of brown bears in Bulgaria, whose population has been nearly halved in the last 10 years. To kick off this special month, WWF-Bulgaria has prepared a very special digital concert which will be streamed 27 March at 20:30 on Facebook and Youtube (@WWF Bulgaria). Performers include RDMK, Kerana & Kosmonavtite, Magy Aleksieva - MEY, Elena Sirakova, Paraplaner, Kosta Karakashyan, Buny Verse & Strella, and Nicky Stanoev - all are giving their voices for the bears and calling for their protection. You can become an important part of this great cause and help us protect the bears in Bulgaria at wwf.bg/mechki
The occurrence of several catastrophic incidents last year, including extreme weather events, devastating wildfires and the COVID-19 outbreak highlighted that preventing nature loss is crucial for safeguarding our future. A global assessment of biodiversity targets showed that the world failed to meet the 2020 deadline for achieving the targets set a decade ago for preventing nature loss. Earth Hour marks a pivotal opportunity for civil society organisations, individuals, businesses and environmentalists to call on world leaders for setting nature on a path to recovery by 2030. People-led initiatives around the world like Earth Hour are vital to continue to inspire awareness on the importance of nature and prompt action to help deliver a nature positive world by the end of the decade.
Help WWF in Central and Eastern Europe make the Green Recovery a reality.
Switch off March 27, 20:30 your time.
We are proud of those companies and brands who share our passion and commitment to make Earth Hour reach even more people this year. WWF-CEE and its national offices gratefully acknowledge support for Earth Hour 2021 from the following companies: Tesco, Allterco,
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is WWF's flagship global environmental movement. Born in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organizations in more than 180 countries and territories to take tangible environmental action for over a decade. Historically, Earth Hour has focused on the climate crisis, but more recently, Earth Hour has strived to also bring the pressing issue of nature loss to the fore. The aim is to create an unstoppable movement for nature, as it did when the world came together to tackle climate change. The movement recognizes the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges and harnesses the collective power of its millions of supporters to drive change.
Earth Hour is kindly supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety with funding from the International Climate Initiative (IKI), as a part of the project “Scaling up Biodiversity Communication”
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