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dpatopbilder - People stand in front of the dark Brandenburg Gate. With the worldwide "Earth Hour" campaign, the environmental protection organization WWF wants to set an example for more climate protection. Photo: Paul Zinken/dpa
Keystone
On Saturday evening, the lights went out on numerous buildings around the world for one hour at local time. As part of the worldwide "Earth Hour", famous landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, the Sydney Opera House, the Temple of Dawn in Bangkok and the Empire State Building in New York were plunged into darkness for 60 minutes. The environmental protection organization WWF calls for this campaign every year to send a visible signal for the conscious use of energy and the protection of the planet.
A call to rethink for a planet at the limit
"The stakes have never been higher," said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International, explaining the background to the event. "Last year was the warmest since records began. We have seen historic wildfires, storms and droughts. Our world is at risk and we are rapidly approaching dangerous climate tipping points from which key ecosystems may never recover. Earth Hour is a stark reminder that we must act urgently while we still can."
From Tokyo to Paris and Rome, a number of cities in numerous countries took part in Earth Hour. New Zealand kicked things off. There, the Sky Tower observation and telecommunications tower and the Harbour Bridge in Auckland, among others, were in darkness. Around 500 cities and municipalities across Germany took part in the campaign. In addition to the Brandenburg Gate, in front of which passers-by sang songs in the dark, the lights at Cologne Cathedral and Neuschwanstein Castle were also switched off. In New York, the main building of the UN took part. UN employees were called upon to be generally careful with resources in the workplace.
More than just a symbol for saving energy
The lights were not only switched off at landmarks and large buildings, but many people also took part in the campaign at home. In addition to giving up light for an hour, the WWF also called on people to consciously take time to protect the environment. Until Earth Day at the end of April, people should give the Earth the gift of an hour - through outdoor sports, sustainable nutrition, nature documentaries or other individual ideas that can combine everyday life and interest in the planet. These donated hours will be collected online by the foundation and added up.
The aim is to set in motion a global movement for change in which everyone can participate, says Schuijt. The campaign is intended to show how great the collective power can be when people, communities and companies join forces worldwide - and that this is precisely where the hope for a sustainable future lies.
The WWF launched the global climate and environmental protection campaign in Australia in 2007 as a sign that humanity needs to take better care of the planet. This year, Earth Hour took place for the 19th time worldwide. According to the WWF, Earth Hour is now celebrated on every continent.
23.03.2025, 06:41
