Between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, Swedish households are asked to turn off the lights at home, to send a signal to the world’s rulers to take the climate crisis and biodiversity seriously.
“We know what we have to do. Now it’s about living up to what we promised. The countries of the world have agreed to protect 30 percent of land, water and seas, as well as restore at least 30 percent of depleted ecosystems and stop the human-caused extinction of species. Our people in power must show that it is not just empty words,” says WWF Secretary General Gustaf Lind in a press release.
It was WWF in Australia that started what has now become an annual tradition. In 2007 the lights were turned off for the first manifestation and since then it has become more than just lights out in households.
In Järfälla municipality, outside Stockholm, the hour will be celebrated with, among other things, fire shows and speeches in the square in Jakobsberg and in Östersund, breakfast lectures with energy and environmental themes have been held during the week leading up to Earth hour.
“Many have grown up extinguishing the fire at home, a tradition that is passed on to new generations. This year we also see a clear tendency for municipalities to extend their involvement to a whole week instead of just a weekend, which is fun,” says Cecilia Stenström, project manager for Earth Hour.
Everything goes black here – then the world shuts down during Earth Hour