WWF-P marks 'Earth Hour'

The World Wide Funds for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) joined 184 nations around the world on Saturday night in celebrations marking the ninth edition of Earth Hour and became a part of a global moment of solidarity for climate change. Landmarks across the country switched off their lights and joined WWF-P's call to stand with millions of people to connect to earth to combat climate change and protect our biodiversity and nature. The event in Lahore, organized at WWF-P included a live concert by percussionists Quadrum and Space Cassette, an underground band, candle lighting and sky lanterns ceremony with celebrities, corporate partners, guests and pledges by goodwill ambassadors.
As a part of Earth Hour, people, cities and businesses around the world switched off their lights for one hour to draw attention to the urgent need to step up the fight against climate change and protection of biodiversity.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Uzma Khan, WWF-P Technical Advisor Wildlife, said, "Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to wildlife species and their habitats and also people. We are already seeing the consequences globally, a portion of the iconic Great Barrier Reef has already died, birds migration patterns have changed in Europe and massive floods of 2010 in Pakistan caused losses of Indus River dolphin. We have witnessed loss of livelihoods and destruction of villages because of flash floods in Chitral and landslides in Gilgit-Baltistan. Climate change is real, we all are responsible and only our collective actions can help the earth, unless we all decide to move to a different planet."
The Earth Hour events were also celebrated at WWF-P's Bahawalpur and Khanewal office as well as Faisalabad in Punjab where students, families and corporate members participated. In other parts of the country, events were organized in Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Nathiagali, Gilgit, and Sukkur.
The year 2018 marks the eleventh anniversary of Earth Hour, which started as a symbolic event in Sydney in 2007. Today, it is the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment, ensuring that people who are on the frontlines of climate change, are also empowered to be the planet's first line of defence. The one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the movement encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off non-essential lights as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.