Gibraltar invited to join in digital ‘Earth Hour’

Earth Hour, a movement that encourages people to switch off their lights for the environment, will take place this Saturday at 8.30pm.

Skylines will darken as people unite in recognition of the climate emergency and the challenge climate change presents to our communities.

As in previous years, Gibraltar will participate by switching off lights on the North Face of the Rock and the Moorish Castle for the weekend, the Gibraltar Government said yesterday.

The Minister for Environment Dr John Cortes is inviting people to support the campaign by setting aside an hour to switch off lights and consider ways in which they can lighten their carbon footprint.

“The world has come together to fight an invisible enemy - the coronavirus,” Dr Cortes said.

“The global unity and ‘yes we can’ response could be extended to deal with the climate emergency. Earth Hour provides us with a good opportunity to remind us of the need to urgently act against the other invisible challenge – climate change.”

Supporters of Earth Hour usually congregate to raise awareness of climate issues.

This year following lockdown restrictions, the Office of the Commissioner for the Sustainable Development and Future Generations is reminding everyone to stay home and asking supporters to record short podcasts on their mobile phones which end with: ‘For us and future generations. Gibraltar we can do it’.

Podcasts can be posted on Twitter or Facebook and those which carry the #hashtags - #earthhour #gibraltar and #futuregenerationsgib will be shared widely as part of a campaign.

Mayor of Gibraltar, John Gonçalves, will initiate the podcast campaign releasing his own message at midday today and in support of this important cause.

Started by WWF as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour engages millions of people in switching off their lights to show support for our planet.

Professor Daniella Tilbury, Commissioner for Sustainable Development and Future Generations, who formed part of the WWF Australia team that created Earth Hour in 2007, said: “Earth Hour goes far beyond the symbolic action of switching off and has become a catalyst for driving major changes.

The need to come together has never been greater. The coronavirus has shown us the importance of mutual solidarity and preventative action - our environment, our health, our economy and well-being depend on it.”