What the FAQ: What is Earth Hour, why was the movement in 2021 significant?

The goal of this Earth Hour is to spread awareness about sustainability and climate change. Here's all you need to know
Pic: Edex Live
Pic: Edex Live

Every year, millions of people across the globe turn off the lights between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm on the last Saturday in March, and this annual tradition is called the Earth Hour. The goal of this activity performed every year, is to spread awareness about sustainability and climate change. This year Earth Hour was held on March 27, 2021. Here's all you need to know about the Earth Hour.


What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a global movement started by the World Wide Fund for Nature or the WWF in March 2007. It is one of the most important environmental conservation events of the year. During Earth Hour, nearly 2.2 million people turn off their lights as a sign of solidarity, across the globe. This hour showcases the need to take immediate and affirmative action on the pressing issue of global climate change. Earth Hour promotes awareness about environmental issues on a public platform.


What is the history behind Earth Hour?
Started as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007 by WWF and its partners, Earth Hour is now one of the world's biggest environmental grassroots movements. In the following years, Earth Hour became a global event acknowledged by people across the globe. Global landmarks such as Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building have also switched off electric lights during Earth Hour this year. "Earth Hour is open-source and we welcome everyone, anyone, to take part and help amplify our mission to unite people to protect our planet," reads a statement on the official website.


What is the significance of this year's Earth Hour?
Earth Hour comes ahead of key events when world leaders will take critical decisions on nature, climate change and sustainable development, setting the course of our future, the WWF said this time. In May, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) will be held in the city of Kunming, in China's Yunnan province. "This year is a particular year. We call it the 'super year' for nature and sustainability because leaders can and must take ambitious and decisive action both on climate and nature,"  WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini told Xinhua news agency in a recent interview.
Among others, the 26th UN climate talks (COP26) will see countries coming together to discuss goals for climate change and nature, for the decade starting now. World leaders will also meet at the G7 and G20 Leaders’ Summits, the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Environment Assembly, where they will discuss issues such as the road to recovery from the pandemic, climate change, environmental degradation, and more


How has India faired in Earth Hour over the years?
In 2009, India observed its first Earth Hour, with 5 million people across 58 cities joining the movement. In 2010, 128 cities and over 7 million people across India joined the initiative, which featured Abhishek Bachchan as the India ambassador. In 2013, New Delhi became the Earth Hour national capital and managed to find a place among the Top 6 in the Earth Hour City Challenge.

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