This year some 7,000 cities in 27 different time zones will be flicking off their lights in observation of the ninth annual Earth Hour, in an effort to raise climate change awareness and spread the message of energy conservation.
Iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, London’s Big Ben, as well as the gargantuan Moscow State University building are slated to participate in the symbolic switching-off.
The campaign was started in Australia by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2007 with 2.2 million people taking part, and since then swept across the world in what the WWF calls “the world’s largest grassroots movement.”
This year in Australia, one of the first countries to hit the 8:30pm start time, the event is meant to highlight the impact of climate change on farming.
"Climate change is a people problem" - See Ban Ki-moon's @EarthHour message here: https://t.co/Us7raD3LK8#Action2015#EarthHour
— United Nations (@UN) March 28, 2015
The United Nations has also voiced support for the event. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that this year’s Earth Hour holds particular significance as it comes just nine months before a key UN climate crisis meeting in Paris.
“Climate change is a people problem. People cause climate change and people suffer from climate change. People can also solve climate change,” he said in a video address. “This December in Paris, the United Nations is bringing nations together to agree a new, universal and meaningful climate agreement. It will be the culmination of a year of action on sustainable development.”
29 March 2015
A video posted by Ghirardelli Chocolate Company (@ghirardelli) on Mar 28, 2015 at 8:46pm PDT
#EarthHour2015#Beijing & #Dubai. pic.twitter.com/LATb9joZ48
— Sameer Wasi (@SamsterWasi87) March 29, 2015
Earth Day at @WildJordanCafe#EarthHour2015#Jordan#ShareYourJordanpic.twitter.com/cQjdnvmuky
— Anas Al-Madanat (@AnasMadanat) March 29, 2015
Awesome!!! "@airnewsalerts: [Pictures] #EarthHour at @RashtrapatiBhvnpic.twitter.com/6BHmdV82RH"
— Sushant Rastogi (@thesushant) March 29, 2015
#EarthHour#Vegas@thelinq@highrollervegas#RevolveVegashttp://t.co/hvbYY1vU0Vpic.twitter.com/KtkLFYheRg
— Austin Rinker (@TheMissingRink) March 29, 2015
Ce soir, la Tour Eiffel s'est éteinte avec WWFFrance pour #EarthHour2015#COP21http://t.co/AV39E5i5ZHpic.twitter.com/pCStpZTFx6
— livecop21 (@livecop21) March 29, 2015
Serunya perayaan #EarthHour2015 Garuda Indonesia @Garuda_BPN, malam tadi pic.twitter.com/zZImN0e1Dp
— #IB (@IklanBalikpapan) March 29, 2015
#EarthHour2015 We Switched on the light of hope! @ipgaia@AnastasiadesCY@alexiasakadaki@StellaCysky (pics @PIOcy) pic.twitter.com/1lrXbFxj0f
— Kyri Christodoulou (@kyriakichristo) March 29, 2015
Grandes monumentos que le dieron un respiro al planeta #EarthHour#HoraDelPlaneta#BeCool#Taiwanpic.twitter.com/g21zwoLiKJ
— Be Cool Hn (@BeCoolHn) March 29, 2015
Grandes monumentos que le dieron un respiro al planeta #EarthHour#HoraDelPlaneta#BeCool#Inglaterrapic.twitter.com/xTtBesHC5n
— Be Cool Hn (@BeCoolHn) March 29, 2015
Grandes monumentos que le dieron un respiro al planeta #EarthHour#HoraDelPlaneta#BeCool#Perupic.twitter.com/p8oMTKPgoS
— Be Cool Hn (@BeCoolHn) March 29, 2015
At http://t.co/AirVV1r0QC -- Earth Hour Central Park Jakarta. #iniaksiku#yourpower#earthhour#earthhourindonesi… pic.twitter.com/sYcFBYihoS
— scenesfromnyc (@postcardsfromny) March 29, 2015
→ #EarthHour Earth Hour Bay Area Lights Go Out As World Observes Earth Hour AUS pic.twitter.com/aSCZZfCU3K - →... http://t.co/J4D16hZ16F
— L U I Z A (@l5iza) March 29, 2015
And we're back! #SantaMonica Ferris wheel lights up following #EarthHour#EarthHour2015#MyDayInLApic.twitter.com/lmhfIM0om1
— Bryan Stranahan (@stranaconda) March 29, 2015
Chile en #LaHoraDelPlaneta "La Moneda" Palacio de Gobierno a oscuras. #60 /Chilean Government Palace #EarthHour dark. pic.twitter.com/ryj8oTbyya
— Alvaro' Wolf ツ (@_He_Wolf) March 29, 2015
"La tour Eiffel est éteinte. C'est parti pour #EarthHour ! RoyalSegolene WWFFrance #COP21pic.twitter.com/1I3jaFzMwP" L'intérêt ? 0 #fuckecolo
— livecop21 (@livecop21) March 29, 2015
we went dark #EarthHour#liveEARTHhour#EarthHour2015#Maldivespic.twitter.com/VyLlHUuhFN
— Ihuru Funna (@ihurufunna) March 29, 2015
.@AstroSamantha sends #EarthHour a special shout-out from space! :) Use #YourPower at http://t.co/HxefGDpLodpic.twitter.com/h0wrggJ1Vs
— Earth Hour (@earthhour) March 28, 2015
Hour of darkness: #EarthHour 2015 kicks off around the globe (LIVE UPDATES) http://t.co/MMsS9x3pFK@earthhour@WWFpic.twitter.com/oJmW4WVzEo
— RT (@RT_com) March 28, 2015
Communities across Scotland are getting set for #EarthHour! Find an event near you: http://t.co/xCAj5KhFWXpic.twitter.com/tS4VVPDTzj
— WWF Scotland (@WWFScotland) March 28, 2015
#EarthHour at the Place des Cocotiers in Nouméa, New Caledonia! Beautiful formation made with local beeswax candles. pic.twitter.com/aWnMGdXEcX
— Earth Hour (@earthhour) March 28, 2015
Eiffel Tower goes dark in symbolic move for Earth Hour: http://t.co/nhnED9pc6cpic.twitter.com/YpHekYCPJK
— AOL.com (@AOL) March 28, 2015
The UN Secretariat bldg is dark for #EarthHour! Join us to celebrate #action2015 all year! http://t.co/C1dPJOKoYRpic.twitter.com/x8JNXq5prU
— United Nations (@UN) March 29, 2015
LIVE. This is how Mexico City looks like during #EarthHour. Thanks @webcamsdemexicopic.twitter.com/xvl9KbMhzl
— WWF (@WWF) March 29, 2015
People light candles during @earthhour in Cali, Colombia, on March 28, 2015 @LuisRobayo@AFP@JardinplazaCCpic.twitter.com/t9jb5zrBmV
— Luis Robayo (@LuisRobayo) March 29, 2015
Check out the NYC skyline during @EarthHour w/ lights out at UNHQ http://t.co/C1dPJOKoYR#action2015#EarthHourpic.twitter.com/pEgaMvBgDB
— United Nations (@UN) March 29, 2015
#EarthHour from space. What a sight…#ActOnClimate for #liveEARTHhour: http://t.co/66Jp4PUD0tpic.twitter.com/zOXSHjecLB
— Climate Reality (@ClimateReality) March 28, 2015
Residents in #BuenosAires take part in the annual #EarthHour campaign @earthhourpic.twitter.com/aizD7CvNap
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) March 29, 2015
With more than 1 MILLION celebrating across Indonesia, we know every small action can make a big diff. #IniAksikupic.twitter.com/oSCOs0uZy3
— Earth Hour (@earthhour) March 29, 2015
Canada’s Toronto joined the global movement by turning off its lights.
Our city #Toronto taking part of #EarthHour2015 ♥ Please do your part in turning out your lights for Earth Hour pic.twitter.com/P0lfn363Pr
— Mεgαn Davιdѕon (@M_Davidson64) March 29, 2015
@WWFCanada Nice to see #Toronto#NathanPhillipSq@TrumpToronto and other downtown offices go dark for #EarthHour. pic.twitter.com/TUSvckK9Zy
— Stephen Kobus (@StephenKobus) March 29, 2015
Live in #TimesSquare: it's lights out for select billboards & #Broadway marquees as part of #EarthHour. pic.twitter.com/t6zyeAqyx9
— Times Square (@TimesSquareNYC) March 29, 2015
Watch videos of Moscow’s Kremlin and St. Petersburg’s Palace Square go dark for Earth Hour.
New York City in the dark during Earth Hour.
Currently #EarthHour Northeast time. Thank you #UN and #UNDP for your participation. #NYC#NewYork#NewYorkCitypic.twitter.com/4wLAO6nkC1
— Humanity Strong (@HumanityStrong) March 29, 2015
@earthhour@EarthCam Earth Hour 2015 in New York City. pic.twitter.com/7YXa0wIprf
— David Vergel (@dvergel2011) March 29, 2015
28 March 2015
London joins Earth Hour celebrations, with Big Ben turning off its lights.
Big Ben Standing strong and proudly in support of #earthhourukpic.twitter.com/MrICm5AZax
— Shelley McIvor (@SheliMac) March 28, 2015
One of my favourite spots in the World and my favourite spot in #London joined #EarthHour! Loving the pic @wwf_ukpic.twitter.com/MaRWP6WueY
— Karla Munguia C (@Karmuncol) March 28, 2015
Spain’s capital Madrid participates by turning off its lights.
Luces fuera Madrid! @WWFespana#HoraDelPlaneta#EarthHourpic.twitter.com/zJ0hZ7fFMm
— Ivan Brizuela (@ibrizuelator) March 28, 2015
The Swedish Royal Palace plunges into darkness for an hour.
Before/ after shots of The Royal Palace in #Sweden! Check out http://t.co/wQ9jVEFuSs for more updates! pic.twitter.com/7amOgH6Hup
— Earth Hour (@earthhour) March 28, 201
Greece’s Acropolis goes dark.
A photo posted by Earth Hour (@earthhourofficial) on Mar 28, 2015 at 1:58pm PDT
Darkness engulfs the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The Vatican plunges into darkness for Earth Hour.
In Rome the Great Synagogue and the Great Mosque - and in Vatican the St Peter's Basilica go dark for #EarthHour! pic.twitter.com/HmAKuc2UDe
— WWF (@WWF) March 28, 2015
Lights out at the Eiffel Tower.
Paris. #EarthHour#EarthHour2015pic.twitter.com/hF5De5QBgl
— Photos du Monde (@PhotosDuMonde) March 28, 2015
A crowd of Cape Town residents celebrate Earth Hour with glow sticks and music.
#iLoveCapeTown #EarthHour #V&AWaterfront #Orchestra #Unplugged #LightsOFF
Видео опубликовано Mageshen Tristen Naidoo (@mageshennaidoo) Мар 28 2015 в 11:33 PDT
People around the globe switch off the lights, fire up candles and join together to raise awareness for climate issues on the 9th annual Earth Hour event.
Фото опубликовано Alserkal Group (@alserkalgroup) Мар 28 2015 в 11:36 PDT
Ini aksiku, mana aksimu? #earthhour #aksianakmedan
Фото опубликовано Sindi Amelia (@ssindiamelia) Мар 28 2015 в 11:29 PDT
Hong Kong, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Korea go dark!
The iconic Moscow Kremlin, along with the seven Stalin-era landmark high-rises – including Moscow State University – were among the more than 800 buildings that switched their lights off at 8:30 p.m. local time for Earth Hour 2015.
As the lights went out, some 400 people participated in a bike ride through the city center to mark the event.
Residents of New Caledonia's capital Noumea mark Earth Hour by spelling it out in candles made from locally sourced beeswax.
Фото опубликовано Earth Hour (@earthhourofficial) Мар 28 2015 в 9:36 PDT
Here's footage of the lights going off in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
Lights go out at Taipei 101, one of the world's tallest skyscrapers.
2nd batch of video footage has come in! This time featuring Nepal, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Enjoy! :) https://t.co/8NMzlcTAGe
— Earth Hour (@earthhour) March 28, 201
The European Commission encourages people to flick off their lights for Earth Hour.
Are you joining the #EarthHour at 8.30pm your local time? #YourPower#EnergyUnion@MarosSefcovichttps://t.co/v5Y9DdBGaA
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) March 28, 2015
People in Sydney have turned off their lights for Earth Hour 2015.
Thanks North Sydney for turning your lights out #EarthHour@maasmuseumpic.twitter.com/xjOYnz8ZkU
— Sydney Observatory (@sydneyobs) March 28, 2015