
Earth Hour 2023: The Biggest Hour for Earth
Each year, millions of people across the world count down to Earth Hour and take one iconic action: switching off the lights. The hour of darkness pulls us out of the busyness of our daily routines and allows us to reflect on the one home we all share. In the face of accelerating biodiversity loss and climate change, there has never been a more crucial time to come together and take action for our collective future.
Earth Hour was first launched in 2007 by WWF and partners in Sydney, Australia, and it has since grown into the largest global grassroots movement for the environment. This year, participants are encouraged to go beyond the symbolic lights-out action by learning about, reconnecting with, and helping restore our environment. Read up on biodiversity loss, spend some quiet time in nature, pick up litter, or plant native trees–there are so many ways to celebrate Earth Hour.
“For 16 years, Earth Hour has engaged millions of people the world over with a simple ask to switch off their lights for 60 minutes. But its meaning has become so much more than that,” said Chris Conner, vice president of media and external affairs. “Nature needs us. People need us. Our climate needs us. Earth Hour is an opportunity for us all to come together, not only to celebrate everything our planet provides us, but also to protect it.”
For more information, visit https://www.worldwildlife.org/earthhour.
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Link to last year’s Earth Hour photos here.
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is WWF's flagship global environmental movement. Over the past 16 years, it has grown to become the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organizations in more than 190 countries and territories to take action for our collective future.
Historically, Earth Hour has focused on the climate crisis, but more recently, Earth Hour has strived to address a range of concerns facing people and the planet. The movement recognizes the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges and demonstrates the power of millions of people working together towards a common goal.
About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of 1.3 million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on Twitter to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.
WWF Statement on The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act
Today, The A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act was reintroduced in Congress. Led by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), alongside Rep. Lee (D-Cali.) and Senators Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Booker (D-N.J.), the legislation is the product of deep consultation with environmental justice communities and would increase investment in these communities and give them greater legal protections and a stronger voice in development decisions while holding polluters accountable for actions that have a discriminatory impact.
In response, WWF issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president, policy and government affairs:
“For too long, low-income communities, communities of color, and Native Nations have been forced to bear the brunt of pollution and environmental degradation. This legislation would help to ensure that pollution and discrimination no longer go hand in hand. It would also drive proactive investments to improve health, safety, and sustainable economic opportunities in historically disadvantaged communities. We call on Congress to advance this bill and other efforts to address environmental justice and ensure that both people and nature can thrive.”
Leaders Urged To Heed Science and Act Now To Avert Climate Catastrophe
(Interlaken, Switzerland, 20 March 2023) – After a marathon final two days of talks, countries have approved a new climate science report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report brings together current scientific research, with leading scientists and governments agreeing to a summary that lays bare the devastating reality and risks posed by the climate crisis, and the ways in which the world must respond.
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report (AR6) spotlights the rapid emission reductions needed to meet intermediate climate targets - reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035 to reach net zero by mid-century and avoid global temperatures exceeding the dangerous 1.5°C tipping point. It recognizes, however, that current policies are off track to meet these targets, despite the range of cost-effective solutions available. Countries are expected to assess their progress toward achieving these targets in the global stocktake at the UN climate summit COP28 later this year.
WWF urges governments to heed the report’s warnings and act quickly to implement its recommendations to limit the impacts of the climate crisis. It calls on leaders to rapidly slash emissions across all sectors, boost efforts to build resilience to extreme weather events and protect and restore nature. An accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels is the best way to avoid the planet overshooting 1.5°C and risking total climate catastrophe.
Dr. Stephanie Roe, WWF Global Lead Scientist, Climate and Energy, and Lead Author on the IPCC Working Group III report, said: “This report represents the most comprehensive collection of climate science since the last assessment came out almost a decade ago. Weaving together the findings from the multi-thousand-page reports published over the last few years, it very clearly lays out the devastating impacts climate change is already having on our lives and ecosystems all around the world, the harsh future we all face if we don’t get our act together, and the solutions we can implement now to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.
“Some countries are already achieving sustained emissions reductions, but action is not yet at the scale or speed we need. With current emissions still at their highest level in human history, we are way off course, and the window to limit warming to 1.5ºC is rapidly closing. The sooner and more decisively we act, the sooner people and nature can reap the benefits of a cleaner, safer and more stable future. We have all the tools we need, so it’s well within our power to meet this challenge if we act now.”
IPCC reports are influential as they are used by policymakers and governments to inform their actions, shape UN climate change negotiations, and affect public opinion. The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report Summary for Policymakers was discussed line-by-line by governments at the week-long approval session in Switzerland, which started on 13 March and was agreed to on 19 March.
WWF welcomes this latest IPCC report, and notes that it highlights:
- that many low-cost solutions already exist for the necessary economy-wide transformation [C.3]
- the cost of renewables like wind and solar has dropped by up to 85% over the past decade [A.4.2]
- the importance of nature and conservation - including the need to conserve 30% to 50% of Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean to maintain the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem services at a global scale [C.3.6]
- the urgency of action this decade, as well as by 2035 - the date that links into the next round of nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement [B.6.1]
Dr. Stephen Cornelius, WWF Global Deputy Lead Climate and Energy said: “The evidence is crystal clear, the science is unequivocal - it's just the lack of political will that's holding us back from the bold action that's necessary to avert a climate catastrophe. Leaders who ignore the science of climate change are failing their people. A rapid phase-out of fossil fuels is essential, as is protecting and restoring natural ecosystems.”
“Nature is our secret ally in the fight against climate change. Natural systems have absorbed 54% of human-related carbon dioxide emissions over the past decade and have slowed global warming and helped protect humanity from much more severe climate change risks. We can’t hope to limit warming to 1.5°C, adapt to climate change and save lives and livelihoods, unless we also act urgently to safeguard and restore nature. Nature is a non-negotiable part of the solution to the climate crisis.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Robin Harvey, Media Relations Manager, WWF International rharvey@wwfint.org / news@wwfint.org
WWF spokespeople are available for interviews:
- Dr Stephanie Roe, WWF Global Lead Scientist Climate and Energy, and Lead Author on the IPCC Working Group III report (based in Washington DC)
To hear a more extensive breakdown of the report and its key takeaways, listen to Dr. Stephanie Roe on the latest episode of WWF’s podcast, Nature: Breaking.
- Dr Stephen Cornelius, WWF Global Deputy Lead Climate and Energy (based in London)
- Shirley Mattheson, WWF Global NDC Enhancement Coordinator and, IPCC Synthesis Report Head of Delegation (present in Interlaken, Switzerland).
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- IPCC Assessment Reports are periodic assessments about the latest knowledge on climate change, its causes, potential impacts and response options. The Sixth Assessment Report takes into consideration the findings from the latest three working group reports released in 2021 and 2022, along with three earlier special reports. More information on the IPCC is available here: https://www.ipcc.ch/.
- This IPCC’s assessment of what is needed to safeguard nature is well aligned with the recent formulation of the Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022 - and supports the target to conserve 30% of land and ocean by 2030.
Eight key findings from IPCC AR6 Working Group reports:
- Global emissions between 2010 and 2019 were higher than any previous decade in human history. Source: IPCC WG3
- Nature has absorbed 54% of human-related carbon dioxide emissions over the past 10 years. 31% is removed by terrestrial ecosystems, including in plants, animals and soils, and the other 23% is taken up by the ocean. Source: IPCC WG3
- Approximately 3.3 to 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to climate change. Source: IPCC WG2
- The food system accounts for about a third (23-42%) of global greenhouse gas emissions. Source: IPCC WG3
- We have solutions in every sector to halve emissions by 2030 in line with a 1.5°C pathway. Source: IPCC WG3
- Between 2010 and 2019, the cost of solar energy and lithium-ion batteries (used for energy storage) decreased by a massive 85%, while wind energy costs dropped by 55%. Source: IPCC WG3
WWF reports based on IPCC science:
- The WWF report Our Climate’s Secret Ally: Uncovering the story of nature in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report draws upon the IPCC’s work to highlight the interlinked emergencies of human-induced climate change and biodiversity loss and is available to download here. Infographics available on request.
- Other WWF reports related to the IPCC AR6 reporting cycle include: Climate, Nature and our 1.5°C Future - download here and Feeling the Heat: The fate of nature beyond 1.5°C of global warming - download here
WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 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. Visit www.panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources, and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media.