Shape our future
A Moment of Solidarity for People and Planet
Earth Hour 2022 calls for the world to unite in a moment of solidarity for People and the Planet. We know that alongside the many challenges we face, especially in these unprecedented times, 2022 remains to be a critical year for the Planet, our shared home. This year the world will come together to agree on a Paris-style agreement for nature, and this presents a once in a decade opportunity for leaders to agree on a plan to reverse nature loss by 2030 and build a nature-positive future.
Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International
Earth Hour, the world’s most significant grassroots movement for the environment, is set to unite millions of people worldwide to show solidarity for both People and Planet. Earth Hour’ is an endeavour of the World Wildlife Fund to raise awareness on nature loss and climate change. Started as a symbolic event of putting off the lights in Sydney to raise awareness of climate change, Earth Hour has grown into one of the world’s largest grassroots movements for the environment. Inspiring individuals, communities, businesses, and organisations from more than 190 countries to take observable action to save the environment. It is observed every year on the last Saturday of March. In India, it started in 2009. Over the years, the campaign has seen massive participation from all over the country. Lights are switched off for an hour in the Landmark monuments like India Gate, Gateway of India, the Charminar, Howrah Bridge.
Each country making use of this event focuses/highlights a particular aspect. Greece highlights the vital role food plays in creating community and offering information on creating sustainable diets and food production practices. Tanzania aims to help every student from the primary to University level plant and nurture a tree. India recalls the efforts of ’75 Heroes of Conservation’ and how these individuals have helped ‘Shape Our Future. In the UK, an app, “My Footprint”, is created to allow the residents to help people identify what they can do in their everyday lives to reduce their footprint. In India, “Humari Prithvi”, an Earth Hour India anthem, is released appealing to the citizens for urgent climate action
Earth Hour has gone far beyond the symbolic action of switching off the lights. It has become a catalyst for positive environmental impact, driving significant legislative changes by harnessing the power of the people and collective action. Observation of “Earth Hour” led to some impactful actions too. Like creating a protected marine area in Argentina, Earth Hour forest in Uganda and large scale planting of mangrove seedlings in Indonesia.
Even though the focus was on the climate crisis, events of “Earth Hour” are striving to address the concerns of the events threatening the Planet’s survival. Harness the strengths and capabilities of the individuals and organisation in finding solutions.
As Thomas Alva Edison said, “The earth is what we all have in common”. It is the greed of humans that needs to be curtailed and shape our future and make an impact.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.
Mahatma Gandhi
Toons: Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Sai Baba
