EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT #CONNECT2EARTH 1 EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CONTENTS 2 INTRODUCTION 2 Mobilizing hundreds of millions EXECUTIVE SUMMARY e s u 3 CONTENTS o h e n o t of people is key to supporting S d r 4 a EARTH HOUR 2019 KICKSTARTED AN h c i R / a climate and nature action UNSTOPPABLE MOVEMENT FOR NATURE F W W © agenda for a better future for people and planet. 6 EARTH HOUR: THEN AND NOW Marco Lambertini Director General, 8 HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT WWF International 9 EARTH HOUR 2019: WHY NATURE MATTERS Earth Hour 2019 was a truly And they pledged their support remarkable and inspiring success. for the planet, urging world Individuals, businesses and cities leaders to push the issue up 10 ACHIEVEMENTS OF EARTH HOUR 2019 in 188 countries and territories the global agenda and secure came together to speak up for an international commitment AND #CONNECT2EARTH nature and inspire urgent action to stop and reverse the loss of for the environment. As Earth nature – a New Deal for Nature 12 KEY HIGHLIGHTS Hour rolled around the globe, and People similar to what was thousands of landmarks switched achieved with the Paris climate 14 10 STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD off their lights in solidarity with the agreement. planet. 20 ARTWORK FROM AROUND THE WORLD By acting together now, we have In past years, Earth Hour has a unique opportunity to set a 22 DIGITAL HIGHLIGHTS focused on the challenge of new direction for our society. climate change and helped We’ve started an unstoppable 24 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS mobilize a global movement that movement for nature and successfully paved the way for together we can and will halt 25 ADVERTISING HIGHLIGHTS the groundbreaking Paris climate nature loss, preserve the agreement. Starting in 2018, Earth amazing diversity of life on Earth, 26 VISUAL STORYTELLING Hour has also highlighted the and avert a catastrophe for our relentless, accelerating and truly civilization. 28 PARTNERSHIPS terrifying loss of nature – and the need for urgent action to prevent Every one of us can make a 30 YOUTH SUPPORTING EARTH HOUR WORLDWIDE serious harm to both people and difference in protecting nature. nature. We are all part of the solution. Millions of people around the Thank you again for your 34 BEYOND EARTH HOUR world responded. From Ecuador incredible support for Earth Hour to Morocco to Indonesia, people this year! 36 #CONNECT2EARTH THROUGH THE YEAR spoke about issues that mattered to them – about the need for Onwards. sustainable lifestyles, plastic-free oceans, water conservation, an Marco 38 BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF EARTH HOUR end to deforestation, and so much more. 40 OPERATIONS OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT 2 | INTRODUCTION EARTHEARTH HOURHOUR 20192019 HIGHLIGHTSHIGHLIGHTS REPORTREPORT | | 3 EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2019 © Nguyễn Ngân / WWF-Vietnam KICKSTARTED AN UNSTOPPABLE MOVEMENT FOR NATURE Nature is vitally important to Earth Hour 2019 was an everyone’s daily lives; it underpins incredible opportunity to kickstart our economic prosperity and an unstoppable movement for development, and our very nature - and it delivered, with survival. Nature gives us the air millions of people around the we breathe, the water we drink world speaking up about the loss and the food we eat, as well as of nature. This was an important medicines and other products achievement but we now need and materials. The benefits of governments, businesses, nature are estimated to be worth financial institutions, civil society US$125 trillion per year – around and individuals everywhere to two-thirds higher than the global commit to reversing the loss of GDP. And nature is also linked nature. We need a New Deal for to our well-being, making us feel Nature and People. better emotionally and physically. Unfortunately, nature is declining like never before and, coupled with the ever-present threat of climate change, this means we need to act urgently to turn things around. 4 | INTRODUCTION EARTHEARTH HOUR HOUR 2019 2019 HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS REPORT REPORT | | 5 EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT © WWF-Colombia EARTH HOUR: THEN AND NOW 6 | EARTH HOUR: THEN AND NOW EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT | 7 6 7 © Petra Boic Petrac / WWF Croatia EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT EARTH HOUR 2019: WHY NATURE MATTERS © Joan Itanisa / WWF-Tanzania 2007 The world’s first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, saw more than 2.2 million people turn off their lights for one hour on 31 March to show a climate-sceptic government they cared about climate change. 2009 Earth Hour broke all records for mass participation and was on its way to becoming the world’s 2010 largest grassroots movement for the Earth Hour brought a petition from one environment. million people for climate action to the UN’s COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen, symbolizing the growing demand by people to be heard on environmental issues. 2012 As part of Earth Hour’s I WILL IF YOU WILL campaign, a petition in Russia generated over 122,000 signatures 2013 and led to the protection of Russia’s seas – the first crowdsourced law to A 2,700 hectare Earth Hour forest be inspired by Earth Hour. was created in Uganda. Earth Hour was also the driving force behind the creation of Argentina’s largest marine 2014 protected area – the 3.4 million hectare Following a successful Earth Hour Banco Namuncurá (Burdwood Bank) campaign, the Galápagos Islands – that tripled Argentinian waters under – a UNESCO World Heritage site – protection. Both demonstrated the became the first province in Ecuador power of the people to drive tangible to ban plastic bags and other change. disposable packaging. 2018 Earth Hour 2019 highlighted the importance of their health, well-being and prosperity, they will try In French Polynesia, Earth Hour Also in 2018, Earth Hour kickstarted nature to every one of us. harder to protect it. garnered public pressure that led a three-year #Connect2Earth to 5 million square kilometres of its movement to raise awareness about Nature provides all the essentials we need to live Earth Hour teams from around the world led Exclusive Economic Zone in the South the interconnectivity of climate – from the air we breathe to the water we drink. initiatives, activities and events to help raise Pacific being classified as a Managed change with biodiversity and It provides the foundations for our economic awareness of the value of nature – a vital first step Marine Area – helping preserve vital people. A new and exciting journey prosperity. Quite simply, we need nature to survive in starting a global movement for nature. marine ecosystems for present and to reverse the loss of nature started and thrive, but its growing loss puts this all under future generations. here. threat. We believe that if people better understand that nature is not just ‘nice to have’ but is crucial for 8 | EARTH HOUR: THEN AND NOW © Joan Itanisa / WWF-Tanzania EARTHEARTH HOUR HOUR 2019 2019 HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS REPORT REPORT | | 9 EARTH HOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT © Gerardo Magallón / WWF-Mexico ACHIEVEMENTS OF EARTH HOUR 2019 AND #CONNECT2EARTH 10 | ACHIEVEMENTS EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT | 11 10 11 KEY HIGHLIGHTS “This Earth Hour comes with a great sense of urgency. We can see the worsening impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, COUNTRIES ocean pollution, soil degradation and water scarcity.” SAW #EARTHHOUR, #CONNECT2EARTH AND RELATED HASHTAGS TREND - UN Secretary-General António Guterres 26 “Earth Hour is every hour of every day.” BILLION - Greta Thunberg, 16-year-old climate activist IMPRESSIONS (JAN - MAR 2019) 2+ FOR #EARTHHOUR AND #CONNECT2EARTH “Our planet is the most precious thing we have. It is home to each and every one of us, it is the source of life, beauty and health. We are totally dependent on planet Earth, but its well- COUNTRIES & being now depends on us.” TERRITORIES - Cosmonauts on the International Space Station 188 CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS WORLDWIDE MARK RUFFALO, AMITABH BACHCHAN, CLAUDIA BAHAMÓN, HEBE TIEN AND YOKO ONO THOUSANDS OF LANDMARKS AROUND THE WORLD SWITCHED OFF • SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE • EIFFEL TOWER • TOKYO SKY TREE • RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN • BRANDENBURG GATE • PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT • EMPIRE STATE BUILDING • CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE 12 | ACHIEVEMENTS EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT | 13 12 | EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT | 13 EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT 10 STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD © Sither Tenzin / WWF-Bhutan BHUTAN This Earth Hour, WWF-Bhutan invited local schools and communities to take on its #BendTheCurve challenge to encourage creativity and innovation in going green and living sustainably. In hopes of creating awareness of nature loss and climate change among young people, WWF-Bhutan celebrated Earth Hour 2019 in the school that ran the most creative and impactful activities, and presented them with a seed fund to establish a climate science centre and weather station. Students were also involved in tree planting. MALAYSIA Malaysia faces the threat of clean water scarcity. This year, WWF- Malaysia focused on freshwater conservation with their Clean Water and Clean Air campaign. In collaboration with the local government, the campaign aims to raise awareness of safeguarding important catchment areas such as the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, an area that spans over 160,000 hectares, comprises 7 forest reserves and hosts an extensive array of biodiversity and vulnerable species. © Rahana Husin / WWF-Malaysia 14 | ACHIEVEMENTS © WWF-Tunusia EARTH HOUR 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT | 15 10 STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD PERU WWF-Peru celebrated Earth Hour with President Martín Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo who officiated their Earth Hour event this year.