Cities turn off lights to mark Earth Hour

From Singapore to Buenos Aires, cities around the world turned off their lights on Saturday to mark Earth Hour, with this year’s event highlighting the link between the destruction of nature and rising outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19.

After starting in Asia, the call to action on climate change made its way around a planet reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

As the day came to an end, it was the turn of the Americas, where the lights dimmed at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow and BBVA tower in Mexico City.

In London, the Houses of Parliament, London Eye Ferris wheel, Shard skyscraper and neon signs of Piccadilly Circus were among the landmarks flicking the switches.

“It’s fantastic news that parliament once again is taking part in Earth Hour, joining landmarks across the country and the world to raise awareness of climate change,” said Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons.

In Paris, the three stages of the Eiffel Tower progressively went dark but there were few people to watch with the whole country under a 7pm COVID-19 curfew.

The giant metal tower has been shut to the public since October 30, due to the pandemic.