Global urban residents committed to sustainability, lower consumption
Cities dim lights to mark Earth Hour
Cities around the world were turning off their lights Saturday for Earth Hour, with 2021's event highlighting the link between the destruction of nature and increasing outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19.
![a view of iconic Rome Colosseum in Rome, Italy on March 27, 2021. An annual lights-off environmental event organised by the WWF [World Wide Fund for Nature] to raise awareness of climate change. As part of the event, the lights at the Colosseum were switched off on Saturday. Photo: VCG](https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2021/2021-03-28/72135ca8-0315-42aa-8ebe-387ac0b3fbfa.jpeg)
"It's fantastic news that parliament once again is taking part in Earth Hour, joining landmarks across the country and the world to raise awareness of climate change," said Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons.
"It shows our commitment to improving sustainability... and that we're playing our part in reducing energy consumption," he said.
In Paris, the three stages of the Eiffel Tour progressively went dark but there were few people to watch with the whole country under a 7 pm COVID-19 curfew.
The giant metal tower has been shut to the public since October 30, 2020, due to the pandemic.
In Rome, the lights went out at Rome's 2,000-year-old Colosseum, while police enforcing Italy's coronavirus movement restrictions checked the papers of a small crowd of onlookers.
Asia had kicked off the event after night fell with the skylines of metropolises from Singapore to Shanghai going dark, as did landmarks including Sydney Opera House.
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and Moscow's Kremlin on Red Square also joined the annual initiative that calls for action on climate change and the environment. After Europe, Earth Hour moves west to the Americas with the Empire State Building in New York, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires and the Rio's Museum of Tomorrow among venues dimming the lights.
For 2021 organizers said they want to highlight the link between the destruction of the natural world and the increasing incidence of diseases - such as COVID-19 - making the leap from animals to humans.
Experts believe human activity such as widespread deforestation, destruction of animals' habitats and climate change are spurring this increase, and warn more pandemics could occur if nothing is done.
"Whether it is a decline in pollinators, fewer fish in the ocean and rivers, disappearing forests or the wider loss of biodiversity, the evidence is mounting that nature is in free fall," said Marco Lambertini, director general of the WWF, which organizes Earth Hour.
"And this is because of the way we live our lives and run our economies."
"Protecting nature is our moral responsibility but losing it also increases our vulnerability to pandemics, accelerates climate change, and threatens our food security."
A view of iconic Rome Colosseum in Rome, Italy on March 27, 2021. An annual lights-off environmental event organised by the WWF [World Wide Fund for Nature] to raise awareness of climate change. As part of the event, the lights at the Colosseum were switched off on Saturday. Photo: VCG
In London, the Houses of Parliament, London Eye Ferris wheel, Shard skyscraper and neon signs of Piccadilly Circus were among the landmarks flicking the switches."It's fantastic news that parliament once again is taking part in Earth Hour, joining landmarks across the country and the world to raise awareness of climate change," said Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons.
"It shows our commitment to improving sustainability... and that we're playing our part in reducing energy consumption," he said.
In Paris, the three stages of the Eiffel Tour progressively went dark but there were few people to watch with the whole country under a 7 pm COVID-19 curfew.
The giant metal tower has been shut to the public since October 30, 2020, due to the pandemic.
In Rome, the lights went out at Rome's 2,000-year-old Colosseum, while police enforcing Italy's coronavirus movement restrictions checked the papers of a small crowd of onlookers.
Asia had kicked off the event after night fell with the skylines of metropolises from Singapore to Shanghai going dark, as did landmarks including Sydney Opera House.
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and Moscow's Kremlin on Red Square also joined the annual initiative that calls for action on climate change and the environment. After Europe, Earth Hour moves west to the Americas with the Empire State Building in New York, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires and the Rio's Museum of Tomorrow among venues dimming the lights.
For 2021 organizers said they want to highlight the link between the destruction of the natural world and the increasing incidence of diseases - such as COVID-19 - making the leap from animals to humans.
Experts believe human activity such as widespread deforestation, destruction of animals' habitats and climate change are spurring this increase, and warn more pandemics could occur if nothing is done.
"Whether it is a decline in pollinators, fewer fish in the ocean and rivers, disappearing forests or the wider loss of biodiversity, the evidence is mounting that nature is in free fall," said Marco Lambertini, director general of the WWF, which organizes Earth Hour.
"And this is because of the way we live our lives and run our economies."
"Protecting nature is our moral responsibility but losing it also increases our vulnerability to pandemics, accelerates climate change, and threatens our food security."
