Earth Hour 2015: A snapshot of what’s happening around the world

WWF’s Earth Hour will take place on Saturday 28 March at 8:30 p.m. local time. With an unprecedented 172 countries and territories, more than 1,200 landmarks and close to 40 UNESCO world heritage sites participating in the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, this year’s Earth Hour is set to be the biggest yet. Please find below a snapshot of some interesting activities from around the world. Please contact Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, at rucha@earthhour.org or +65 8148 2477 for queries or requests for media interviews.

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Earth Hour 2015 Around the World:

Country: Australia; Theme: Sustainable Food and AgricultureEarth Hour 2015 sparks an #AppetiteForChangeAussie farmers and food are feeling the heat of climate change. With Earth Hour 2015, WWF-Australia is reminding Australians of the need to tackle global warming for the sake of rural communities and supply of fresh, healthy food-- 93% of which comes from domestic farms. With the first-ever Earth Hour Planet to Plate cookbook featuring 52 recipes from top celebrity chefs and real-life stories from Australian farmers already on the bookstands, and over 1,000 events planned including pop-up paddock dinners celebrating Aussie farmers, Earth Hour 2015 is set to be the biggest Australia has ever seen -- fitting for the country that gave the world its very first Earth Hour.Media contact: Anna Rose, National Manager, Earth Hour Australia: arose@wwf.org.au

Country: Russia; Theme: Climate-friendly legislation/PolicyEarth Hour 2015 aims to drill change for climate change into national policyIn 2015, WWF-Russia aims to use the power of Earth Hour to collect 100,000 signatures from Russians to urge President Putin to consider a ban on the Arctic exploration of oil, a major threat to global emissions. In previous years, Earth Hour has helped mobilize tens of thousands of Russians to urge legislative changes for the environment. In 2012, WWF-Russia used the power of Earth Hour to

collect 110,000 signatures and urge the Russian government to protect the country’s seas from oil pollution. Legislation was passed, and in 2013, 120,000 signatures were once again collected to drive a similar appeal to save the country’s protected forest territories from industrial logging.Local contact: Tatiana Baeva, WWF-Russia, TBaeva@wwf.ru

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Countries: The Philippines, France; Theme: Use your Energy!Earth Hour supporters show how their energy can light up the dance floor…and the future of our planet!As the world celebrates Earth Hour on Saturday 28 March 8:30 p.m., events in countries like the Philippines and France will be inviting people to use their power to literally light up the venue. From an energy dance floor below the Eiffel tower to an open-air, glow-in-the-dark Zumba party at one of Philippine’s biggest tourist spots, Earth Hour 2015 will show us just what the energy of the crowd can achieve. Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Country: Wales, United Kingdom; Theme: Climate-friendly policy and legislationA ‘Welsh Wish’ for the planet comes true!Politicians in Wales have just passed a groundbreaking sustainability law. It follows three years of campaigning by WWF-Cymru (the Welsh office of WWF-UK) and partner organizations, including through Earth Hour. The Well-being of Future Generations Bill places a duty on public bodies in Wales to ensure decisions taken today meet the future needs of the country’s

children and grandchildren. This should, for example, lead to more action to insulate homes to tackle climate change or ensure that public bodies source wood in a way that protects forests. Last year, WWF-Cymru led the ‘Welsh Wish’ campaign for Earth Hour to encourage citizens to raise their voice for a sustainable planet. The campaign collected over a thousand wishes, with support from the likes of the actor Michael Sheen and members of the Wales rugby squad.Media Contact: Richard Nosworthy, Media and Campaigns Officer, WWF-Cymru, RNosworthy@wwf.org.uk

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Country: South Africa; Theme: Climate change, social justice and access to food, energy and waterEarth Hour bridges the gap on climate changeClimate change affects everyone and Earth Hour in South Africa will focus on making ordinary South Africans aware of the impact of climate change on food, energy and water. How? Through a tie-up with the country’s largest circulating weekly newspaper, Soccer-Laduma, mass-scale SMS servicing and TV and radio spots with Miss Earth South Africa and local community leaders. As Earth Hour strives to bridge the gap between awareness and action on climate, the Nelson Mandela Bridge will also go dark to spread the message of solidarity for the planet!Media contact: Pedzi Gozo, Executive Manager: Communications Unit, WWF-SA, pgozo@wwf.org.za

Countries: Japan, South Africa, Namibia; Theme: Sport for a causeScoring a goal for the planet!The world of football is set to score a goal for the planet by supporting Earth Hour across clubs, countries and soccer fields. From online support by institutions like the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) to football clubs like Yokohama F-Marinos, football players Matthew Booth, "Marinosuke" and even sports newspapers like Soccer-

Laduma in South Africa, the who’s who of the sport are coming together to raise awareness on Earth Hour. Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Country: Uganda; Theme: ReforestationCreating a forest to make a sea of changeTwo years ago, Uganda became home to the world’s first-ever Earth Hour Forest. For a country that loses 6,000 hectares of land to deforestation every month, this was a huge breakthrough that showed what the power of the people coupled with the will of the government can achieve. Today, life around the Earth Hour Forest is thriving. Through the use of fuel-efficient stoves provided by Earth Hour supporters last year, communities are now building sustainable livelihoods by learning beekeeping and how to work with nurseries. This is all done with the support of the local WWF team and the Earth Hour community worldwide!Media contact: Eddie Oketcho, Communications Officer, WWF-Uganda, eoketcho@wwfuganda.org

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Country: Brazil; Theme: Petition for climate actionAs Brazil turns off the lights, citizens spark a movement for changeAs the world famous statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro joins more than 1,200 landmarks around the world in switching off the lights for Earth Hour, millions of citizens across the country will be mobilized by WWF-Brazil to sign a petition to demand climate action to solve Brazil’s worst water crisis in 70 years. Local contact: Laís Vasconcellos Campanhas, WWF-Brasil, lais@wwf.org.br

Countries: Spain, Argentina; Theme: Climate awarenessCartoons of the world team up to change climate change with Earth HourClimate change is the globe’s biggest environmental challenge and we need all the help we can get to tackle it. From Earth Hour Kids Ambassador -- beloved cartoon toddler Pocoyo -- to special characters El Iluminado, El Selvador and Desenchufada created by WWF-Argentina, cartoon characters around the world are coming to the planet’s rescue.Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Countries: Chile, Norway, Nepal; Theme: Digital petition on climate actionA few clicks for a BIG difference!Climate change transcends borders, but technology tears them down. WWF teams in countries like Chile, Norway and Nepal are using technology and social media to amplify their reach and mobilize the maximum number of people to raise their voice and take action to change climate change. From a digital marathon aiming for 100,000 participants to a Twitter wall filled with #EarthHour tweets and a selfie campaign to engage the youth, social media is offering Earth Hour supporters around the world new avenues to voice their determination to see climate action through.Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

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Countries: Gabon, Cameroon, CAR, DRC; Theme: School engagementPainting a better futureEducating children on climate change is a critical pillar for awareness efforts and the WWF regional team in Africa is using a colourful mix of initiatives to spread the message. Primary school children across the four countries of Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will take part in a regional art competition on climate change and our planet.Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Countries: Scotland, Switzerland; Themes: Climate-friendly legislation and policyThis Earth Hour, raise your voice for climate actionUniting millions of individuals committed to using their power to change climate change, Earth Hour is an ideal platform to galvanize public support for climate-friendly policy. This is what WWF teams in Scotland and Switzerland are hoping for as they invite citizens to switch off the lights but turn up the volume on the need for stronger climate action policy.Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Countries: Global; Theme: Corporate engagementAn hour where the planet is the only bottom line that mattersCorporate partnerships have long helped amplify the reach of Earth Hour across borders and generations. We see the potential of our partners to communicate our message to a diverse audience yet again as Earth Hour 2015 teams up with Pocoyo (Zinkia Entertainment), Angry Birds (Rovio Entertainment) and Timex. The response we have received so far as indicated by video views, pledges collected and games played, show us how concern for climate change and the will for climate action transcends age groups, cultures and even the animosity between Angry Birds and their ‘piggie’ friends!Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

Countries: Nepal, China, Sweden, India, the Philippines; Theme: Renewable energyClean energy for a green planetThe world needs to transition from the current unsustainable energy reality to a future powered by renewable energy to avoid the very worst impacts of climate change. WWF’s Energy Report shows that this future is within our reach, and how it can be achieved. The Earth Hour

movement shows how small individual actions can lead toward this vision. Earth Hour 2015 is promoting renewable energy by working with governments to provide subsidized solar power for urban residential use (Nepal), bridging the gap between the suppliers and consumers of renewable energy (India), creating awareness on renewable energy (China, Sweden) and using the power of the crowd on the Earth Hour crowdfunding platform to provide families in off-the-grid communities with access to solar power (India and the Philippines).Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

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Countries: China, South Korea; Theme: Technology for changeDownloading a blue sky, and brighter future…After powering WWF-China’s successful crowdsourcing campaign for solutions to air pollution last year, the Blue Sky app is travelling to South Korea where the WWF team will invite citizens to download the app and share their ideas for a bluer sky and brighter future. WWF-China will also continue to use technology providing a 24-hour news app to supporters this year through which they can receive ‘around the clock’ stories on initiatives and achievements on renewable energy on the day of Earth Hour.Media contact: Rucha Naware, Communications Manager, Earth Hour Global, rucha@earthhour.org

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