Asia rallies behind Earth Hour

WWF 28 Mar 10;

China has shown today that it is ready for transformation and a shift into a greener future.

Symbolizing the drive towards a low-carbon economy, 34 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Dalian took part in the global Earth Hour event.

Along with the rest of the continent China sent a clear signal that it is not only willing to help tackle climate change but it also wants to lead the process.

The main event took place in the 600-year old Forbidden City with the China Office Representative Dermot O'Gorman, Chinese actress Li Bingbing and WWF International Director General Jim Leape participating in the lights switch off that made the historic place go dark for an hour.

“Tonight, hundreds of millions of people are raising their voices by turning out their lights. It is a simple act, but a powerful call to action," Jim Leape said.

“The citizens of Beijing were among hundreds of millions of people who signalled their concern about climate change. Chinese people not only know and feel the threats of climate change but they also want to see action to tackle the problem.”

China overtook the United States as the world top greenhouse gas emitter.. but it has taken clear action to tackle the problem. Recently it emerged that China had topped the US and other G-20 members in 2009 clean energy investments and finance.

By 2020, the country will obtain 15 percent of its primary energy from renewable sources. And with development running ahead of schedule, that figure could be closer to 20 percent.

Mei Lan – China’s recently returned panda is this year’s Earth Hour Global Ambassador. Along with 13 million residents of her home town Chengdu, Mei Lan has also taken part in 2010 Earth Hour.
“China has incentive to act on climate change and it already does so. Earth Hour is yet another example of it,” Mr Leape said.

Philippes lead again, call for energy efficiency

Elsewhere in Asia the enthusiasm for Earth Hour was equally great.

Philippines once again topped the charts when it comes to city and town participation with 1044 towns, cities and municipalities rallying behind the event. Phillippines have also become masters of the Earth Hour FlashMob dance.

Over 100 eager, energized volunteers showed up to dance practicing through heat and the occasional drizzle paid off in spectacular performances. When the first dancer started waving an Earth Hour flag - people stopped to take notice.

The dances culminated in a gigantic number 60 formation, signalling the 60 minutes of the Earth Hour. Encouraged to get involved in different ways, including eco-outdoor evening parties, hunting for recyclables and switching off TV sets an estimated an 15 million Filipinos participated in this year’s Earth Hour.

A spokesperson for President Arroyo said she had once led the government's campaigns for energy conservation and “it is crucial for the public to adopt energy efficient practices, especially since the country is experiencing a series of power shortages, brought about by the El Niño

The Quezon memorial, located in the old Filipino capital of the same name, and a symbol that represents the three major regions of the country, switched off as well on Saturday night, in a symbol of unity of purpose in calling for action on climate change.

In Japan the Tokyo Towers and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial went dark at 0830pm while in Nepal, local Committees and authorities organized a programme there where students and locals came together for a candlelight vigil by the Bouddhanath Stupa, one of the most famous and revered stupas.

In India across the country, Earth Hour has reached out to schools through at least 20 WWF state offices which are directly engaging with schools through which an estimated a 100 000 youth have been introduced to the global call for action.

Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore were the official Earth Hour cities this year.

Spirit of Unity

The main event was held at the India Gate- which also dimmed its lights in support of Earth Hour..

The Indonesian Tugu Jogja was built around one year after the construction of Yogyakarta Kingdom. At the early time of its construction, it clearly described the philosophy of the unity of God's creatures that means the spirit of togetherness of lay people and authorities to fight colonials.

Tonight, according to the Javanese term, the spirit of togetherness the lights went off at the Tugu Jogja.

The main focus of Thailand’s Earth Hour took place around the Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple, a short distance outside of the city of Chiang Mai in the northwest of the country, and a holy site for many Thai people. Located on the Doi Suthep mountain, it was possible to watch the city switch off, seeking to reduce its power consumption and spread a message across the country and the world for concerted action on climate action

“The message of Earth Hour is simple”

In addition to turning off the lights of all cities’ public buildings, Seoul City designated some of landmark buildings and icons to switch off, and distribute about 30,000 Earth Hour posters in public notice boards.

“The message of Earth Hour is simple,” said South Korea’s best known international citizen, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. “Climate change is a concern for each of us. Solutions are within our grasp and are ready to be implemented by individuals, communities, businesses and governments around the globe.
“Earth Hour is both a warning and a beacon of hope. By switching off non-essential lights for an hour, people will join a symbolic display that can inspire the change we so urgently need.

“As we watch the lights go out from continent to continent, let us reflect on the fragility and importance of our natural heritage and pledge to protect it for a sustainable future for all.”

In Brunei participation has been encouraged from a young age, and been very impressive, with campaigning being undertaken in every school in the country, in partnership with the Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (STEP) centre, who have set up energy clubs in many of the country's schools.

In addition, one of the great symbols of the Sultanate, and one which dominates the skyline of the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, and one of the most impressive Mosques in all of Asia, the Sultan Omar Ali Saiffudin Mosque, will switch off its lights, along with a number of other government buildings and businesses.

World's iconic sites go dark to fight global warming
Yahoo News 27 Mar 10;

PARIS (AFP) – The world's tallest building went dark, the Eiffel Tower lost its glow and lights were shut off at other sites across the globe Saturday in a campaign to boost the fight against climate change.

Ferry horns blared across Sydney harbour in a noisy start to the Earth Hour energy-saving event, involving 4,000 cities in a record 125 countries.

It was to include 1,200 landmarks from the Forbidden City to Egypt's pyramids and the Las Vegas Strip, with iconic sites going dark for 60 minutes.

"From Brazil to America, to Canada, all the way down to Australia, Japan and India -- it's a really diverse set of countries taking part this year," Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley said.

The rolling wave of darkness was intended to boost the environmental movement after disappointing UN talks in Copenhagen in December.

The WWF-run event officially began when New Zealand's Chatham Islands switched off their diesel generators to leave just 12 street lamps burning and was to end nearly 24 hours later in Samoa.

Beijing's Forbidden City and Bird's Nest Stadium were among the participants along with other cities in China, which is the world's biggest carbon polluter and appointed giant panda Mei Lan its Earth Hour "ambassador".

But in Bangkok, city authorities were ordered to halt their Earth Hour campaign for security reasons as anti-government protesters held a major rally.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Japanese city of Hiroshima turned off the lights at 30 sites, including its Peace Memorial, set in one of the few buildings to survive an atom bomb attack during World War II.

Private homes also switched off their power. New Delhi Mum Aruna Mehra told AFP: "My daughter invited her friends over for a party to eat by candlelight" -- although others drew the line at switching off fans in the sweltering heat.

In Delhi and Mumbai, lights were switched off at shops, hotels, the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential residence, the 17th-century Red Fort and the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple complex, one of India's largest Hindu places of worship.

India is expected to be among the countries hit hardest by rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns, with experts warning such problems could affect food security and displace communities.

In the Middle East, the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, had its lights switched off for Earth Hour.

Egypt participated as well, with lights shut off at the Giza plateau, plunging the three Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and the surrounding desert area into total darkness.

In Europe, some of the world's most recognisable sites faded into darkness.

More than 240 buildings and monuments in Paris participated, including the Eiffel Tower -- which only went dark for five minutes as opposed to the full hour. Some 1,600 candles were lit at its base in recognition of the event.

London's Big Ben took part, and the advertising signs at Piccadilly Circus in the city were also turned off. It is thought to be only the fourth time since World War II that the huge Coca-Cola sign there has been dimmed.

But some onlookers in Piccadilly Circus said the measures should have gone further.

"I thought it was going to be the whole of Piccadilly and it's just the screens. It should have been all the lights and all the buildings around here," said Sandra Herrera, 23, visiting from Bilbao in Spain.

Rome's Trevi Fountain, known by many through Federico Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita", was among Italy's sites involved in the campaign.

In the United States, some 30 states were on board, with Mount Rushmore, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and Chicago's 110-storey Sears Tower all due to go dark.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney and enjoys widespread support both from the public and big business, including Google, Coca-Cola and McDonald's.

This year, even users of ubiquitous Twitter and Facebook could show their support with special applications that turn their displays dark.

In December, two weeks of UN talks in Copenhagen failed to produce a binding commitment to limit global warming or set out concrete plans for doing so, in a setback for the environmental movement.

Landmarks, cities worldwide unplug for Earth Hour
David Stringer, Associated Press Yahoo News 28 Mar 10;

LONDON – Europe's best known landmarks — including the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and Rome's Colosseum — fell dark Saturday, following Sydney's Opera House and Beijing's Forbidden City in joining a global climate change protest, as lights were switched off across the world to mark the Earth Hour event.

In the United States, the lights went out at the Empire State Building in New York, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta, among many other sites in the Eastern time zone.

Millions were expected to turn off lights and appliances for an hour from 8:30 p.m. in a gesture to highlight environmental concerns and to call for a binding pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This year's was the fourth annual Earth Hour, organized by the World Wildlife Fund.

"I think it's great to see that hundreds of millions of people share this common value of lowering our carbon footprint," said Dan Forman, a spokesman for WWF in Washington.

Some 4,000 cities in more than 120 countries — starting with the remote Chatham Islands off the coast of New Zealand — voluntarily switched off Saturday to reduce energy consumption, though traffic lights and other safety features were unaffected, organizers said.

"We have everyone from Casablanca to the safari camps of Namibia and Tanzania taking part," said Greg Bourne, CEO of WWF in Australia, which started Earth Hour in 2007 in Sydney before it spread to every continent.

Other sites expected to participate in the U.S. were businesses on the glittering Las Vegas strip and the Mount Rushmore presidential monument in South Dakota. The lights stayed on at the White House, U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln and Washington monuments, though they were switched off at the Smithsonian Institution and the National Portrait Gallery.

In Europe, Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and buildings across Germany went dark. Amsterdam planned to cut the lights at most city buildings including Schiphol Airport, Artis Zoo and the Amsterdam Arena.

"It's saying to our politicians — you can't give up on climate change," said WWF spokeswoman Debbie Chapman in the U.K.

Buckingham Palace and the British Parliament building were scheduled to go dark to support the campaign, along with other famed London landmarks including St. Paul's Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall, as well as Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.

"Tackling climate change is urgent and vital to both safeguard our environment and our children's future. We can make a difference if we act now and act together," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who switched off lights at his Downing Street residence in London.

Rome switched off the lights of the Trevi Fountain, the 18th-century landmark where many tourists flip a coin in hopes of coming back to the city. State-TV RAI showed the fountain that was immortalized by Federico Fellini in "La Dolce Vita" falling dark.

Moscow's iconic and imposing State University, perched on a hill overlooking the city, all but disappeared into the darkness as the city took part in the protest. The gigantic Luzhniki Stadium nearby also went black, as did the skyscraping Ukraina Hotel downtown. Restaurants in Vladivostok held a so-called Candle Evening, promoting Earth Hour as a chance for romance.

Sweden turned out lights at the government's headquarters in Stockholm, the golfball-shaped Ericsson Globe arena, royal castles and streets in several towns, including popular skiing resort Are.

Giant panda Mei Lan led events in 30 Chinese cities, walking onto a platform amid dimming lights in her enclosure at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, said Chris Chaplin of WWF in China. Lights were also turned off in Beijing's imperial palace known as the Forbidden City.

Taiwan's Presidential Palace and at least 20 Taipei skyscrapers went dark, while hundreds of Taiwanese placed candles beside a Taiwan map formed by energy-saving LED lights at a square outside the city hall.

Researchers at the Davis Station, in Antarctica, also joined the campaign — shutting off lights at the base.

"Tonight, hundreds of millions of people are raising their voices by turning out their lights. It is a simple act, but a powerful call to action," said WWF Director-General, James Leape.

Last year, some 88 cities took part in Earth Hour, which is backed by the United Nations as well as global corporations, nonprofit groups, schools, scientists and celebrities.

___

Associated Press writers Rohan Sullivan in Sydney, Cara Anna in Beijing, Annie Huang in Tapei, Taiwan, David Nowak in Moscow and Alessandra Rizzo in Rome contributed to this report.

Tuvalu to Times Square; landmarks off for Earth Hour
Reuters 27 Mar 10;

(Reuters) - Landmarks such as Sydney's Opera House, Beijing's Forbidden City and Taiwan's Taipei 101 office tower temporarily went dark on Saturday as nations dimmed the lights for Earth Hour 2010 to call for action on climate change.

The symbolic one-hour switch-off, first held in Sydney in 2007, has become an annual global event and organizers World Wide Fund for Nature said they expect this year's to be the biggest so far.

The remote Chatham Islands was the first of more than 100 nations and territories to turn off the power at 8.30 p.m. local time, in a rolling event around the globe that ends just across the International Dateline in Samoa 24 hours later.2

Tiny Tuvalu, which fears being wiped off the map from rising sea levels, tried to go carbon-neutral for the event, pledging to cut power to its nine low-lying Pacific atolls and asking car and motorcycle owners to stay off the roads, WWF said.

Far to the south in Antarctica, Australia's Davis research station pledged to dim the lights.

As the blackout hour moved eastward, London's Big Ben and the Paris' Eiffel Tower and Arch de Triomphe flipped the switch. In New York City, the Empire State Building and Chrysler building went dark, as did the Times Square theater district.

Event co-founder Andy Ridley told Reuters that 126 countries and territories had so far signed up, with thousands of special events scheduled, including a lights-out party on Sydney's northern beaches and an Earth Hour 'speed dating' contest.

The number of participants is significantly up on 2009, when 88 countries and territories and more than 4,000 towns and cities took part. Organizers have estimated between 500 million and 700 million people were involved last year.

In Singapore, more than 1,000 people gathered for an Earth Hour carnival in the city center to watch the lights go out at office towers, hotels and other landmarks.

However, lights could still be seen from some buildings and construction sites, disappointing some in the crowd.

"I'm disappointed because most of the buildings' lights are not switched off," said Mat Idris, 26. "I had expected more support from companies," he added.

Thousands, many of them wearing black Earth Hour T-shirts, joined the main switch-off event in the Philippine capital Manila at the sprawling SM Mall of Asia.

Around 15 million Filipinos were expected to participate, according to WWF, to save the equivalent of 5 million pesos (nearly $110,000) worth of electricity.

Taipei 101, the world's second tallest building, turned off all exterior lights and persuaded 99 percent of its tenants to do the same for an hour, the tower's spokesman said.

"FRUSTRATION"

Ridley, WWF's executive director of Earth Hour, said he believed the perceived failure of last year's Copenhagen conference on climate change had stimulated interest this time.

"There is real frustration with the politics around climate change," Ridley told Reuters.

Business had shown strong support, he said, including the world's major hotel chains, which he said are responsible for a significant chunk of global emissions.

In India, Delhi's Red Fort will go dark, as will the pyramids and the Sphinx in Egypt and Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue.

Lights were also scheduled to go out over all the bridges over the Seine in Paris and London's Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge, while in the United States, more than 30 of the 50 state governors have lent their support.

Some, though, criticized the event.

"To hold a candles-and-champagne party indoors, on the mildest night of the year, for just one hour, shows that the whole thing is green tokenism," said Viv Forbes, chairman of climate change skeptic group the Carbon Sense Coalition.

(Additional reporting by Clement Quek in Singapore, Michael Perry in Sydney, Manolo Serapio Jr. in Manila and Ralph Jennings in Taipei, Chris Michau in New York; Editing by David Fogarty)