Lights out, as Pakistan observes annual Earth Hour

Like other parts of the world, the annual ‘Earth Hour’ was observed in Pakistan also on Saturday night under the theme ‘Give an Hour for Earth’.

To deal with climate change, millions of people across the globe observed the day by switching off lights for an hour.

In Pakistan, all the lights of important government buildings, including Parliament House, were switched off for an hour, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.

A large number of people around the world can reduce carbon emissions by turning off unnecessary lights and electronic devices for one hour to celebrate Earth Hour to protect the environment.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed that all lights be turned off for an hour on Saturday at 8pm. Under Earth Hour, environmental action would be taken on a large scale, he said.

“We all have to play our role in climate action. I appeal to all the citizens of the world wherever they are to turn off their lights for one hour at 8pm local time,” he said.

The event, launched by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) during 2007, is part of an annual tradition to raise awareness about climate change.

Earth Hour is celebrated on the night of the last week of March every year by the UN throughout the world, including Pakistan, with the aim of inviting people to think about the negative effects of pollution and other factors on the environment.

‘Everyone matters’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said saving the planet from the ill-effects of climate change was a collective endeavour, in which everyone mattered.

On Twitter, the PM reiterated that Pakistan joined the global community today in observing ‘Earth Hour’ and demonstrating its commitment to the fulfillment of its obligations to climate change actions.