The ninth edition of Earth Hour rolls across the globe at 8:30 pm local time on Saturday, 28 March 2015. WWF’s Earth Hour takes on its biggest challenge ever this year by strengthening focus on the globe’s most stubborn environmental challenge – climate change. As the opportunity for action on climate change peaks in 2015, the world’s largest grassroots movement will raise its voice to change climate change. When Earth Hour does arrive, it will range across six continents and the world’s twenty-four time zones to unify a global community bound by individual actions on climate.
Even before the hour, Earth Hour organizers are already working with citizens, policymakers and businesses to drive progress on climate in over 120 countries, including advising the government in Nepal on policy to facilitate access to solar power for urban residential use, raising climate awareness in schools in Europe and Africa, and working with farmers and fishermen from Australia to Colombia.
The SHAAMS project will join Earth Hour this year again with partners and schools in Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan organizing workshops and activities related to solar energy. As part of Earth Hour, students will be invited to join a video competition “Use Your Power”, to engage young filmmakers in producing innovative short films which show the advantages of solar energy and its uses in everyday life.
“Climate change is not just the issue of the hour, it’s the issue of our generation,” said Sudhanshu Sarronwala, Chair, Board of Directors, Earth Hour Global. “Earth Hour is the world’s most enduring people’s movement focused on climate. The lights may go out for one hour, but the actions of millions throughout the year will inspire the solutions required to change climate change.”
The world’s most famous landmarks will once again go dark during Earth Hour, and supporters worldwide will also use Earth Hour to promote climate change solutions. From ‘Earth Hour Loans’ that support solar power installation to ‘Earth Hour Forests’ aimed at fighting deforestation, Earth Hour is at the centre of global grassroots efforts supporting renewable energy, climate-friendly legislation, education and environmentally-responsible business practices.
In 2014 alone, Earth Hour supporters raised funds to plant millions of trees, promote the use of fuel-efficient stoves and reduce the carbon footprint of thousands of schools.
“Climate change knows no borders and neither does the crowd. WWF’s climate movement is powered by people, has massive reach and is pursuing an urgent purpose in demanding climate action,” added Sarronwala.
Since 2007, Earth Hour has mobilised businesses, organizations, governments and hundreds of millions of individuals in over 7,000 cities and 162 countries to act for a sustainable future. As the window of opportunity for climate action narrows, Earth Hour is the universal platform that powers innovative, people-driven solutions to change climate change.
Earth Hour 2015 will be celebrated on Saturday 28th March 2015 between 8:30 and 9:30 PM in your local time zone. Visit http://ehour.me/EHtracker to see events happening near you or to create your own Earth Hour activity. Log on to our website www.earthhour.org for more stories and articles on using the power of the crowd to change climate change.
Link to the official Earth Hour 2015 video: http://www.ehour.me/eh2015vid
Link to photos on Earth Hour activities around the world:
http://www.earthhour.org/photo-galleries
For media inquires or requests for press interviews, please contact:
cmenard@wwfmedpo.org – 
(00 34) 646 75 10 38
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is WWF’s global environmental movement. As one of the first open-sourced climate change campaigns, Earth Hour has grown from a symbolic event in one city to the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment. In 2014, Earth Hour engaged individuals, businesses and organizations in over 7,000 cities and 162 countries and territories during the hour and beyond. In 2015, Earth Hour aims to harness the power of its millions of supporters worldwide to change climate change.
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
