Action for Earth Hour

Main image: Buckingham Palace switches off lights for Earth Hour

WWF is calling on people to take part in its annual Earth Hour by switching off lights at 20.30 this evening (22 March).

Landmarks across the UK, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye and the O2 will join buildings and monuments around the world in going dark to raise awareness of the urgent need for action on nature and climate change.

Other participating landmarks include London City Hall, Trafalgar Square, Windsor Castle, Clarence House, Piccadilly Lights, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate St Ives, The Liver Building, Arbroath Abbey, Linlithgow Palace, The Engine Shed, Sueno’s Stone and Stirling Castle.

Earth Hour is also a time to switch off on a personal level, connect with loved ones and reflect on the collective impact people are having on the planet. Individuals can participate at home or in their communities, with ideas available at WWF’s Prescription for Nature hub.

Public demand for action

A new poll, commissioned by WWF ahead of this evening’s Earth Hour, has revealed strong support for government action on the environment and nature, with the majority (52%) of people saying that the UK government is not doing enough to protect it.

The survey, conducted by More in Common, shows that only 24% of the British public feel the UK government is doing enough to protect the environment, while just 12% say it is doing too much.

Strikingly, the results show a desire for stronger government action on the issue across the political spectrum, with 52% of Labour voters, 47% of Conservative voters, 65% of Liberal Democrat voters and 45% of Reform voters saying the government is not doing enough to protect the environment and nature.

When it comes to businesses in the UK, more than half (52%) of Brits agree that companies need to do more to reduce their environmental impact; 26% think they are doing enough and 7% say they do too much. 

Views were slightly more favourable at the local level, with 47% of people believing their councils should do more to safeguard the environment. 31% said they were doing the right amount and 9% said they were doing too much.