KARACHI: On Saturday, 27 March at 8:30 p.m. Earth Hour united individuals, businesses and leaders from all over the world to shine a spotlight on the health of the planet, raising awareness on the importance of nature and inspiring action for a brighter future for nature and people.

With COVID-19 safety regulations, Pakistan commemorated Earth Hour 2021 completely online and the virtual events were observed in different cities across the country. As the lights dimmed in homes and cities, Earth Hour brought people together to put a virtual spotlight on our planet and the role people can play in global efforts for nature.

With mounting evidence establishing a close link between nature's destruction and rising incidences of infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19, Earth Hour was an unmissable opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of nature, in a year when leaders will take key decisions on nature, climate change and sustainable development.

Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan said that protecting nature is our moral responsibility, but losing it also increases our vulnerability to pandemics, accelerates climate change, and threatens our food security. He added that we must stop taking nature for granted, respect its intrinsic value, and - importantly - value the crucial services it provides to our health, wellbeing and economy. We need to unite and take urgent action now to set nature on the path to recovery and secure a nature-positive world, while supporting climate action.

"By acting for nature, we can all create a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world", he said.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021