WWF’s EARTH HOUR 2010 Q & A

Earth Hour speaker tips:

Wherever possible please refer to WWF’s Earth Hour (and not just “Earth Hour”). Many companies are now rolling out Earth Hour themselves, which is of course wonderful, but we don’t want to lose the fact that Earth Hour is a credible climate change campaigning initiative.

WWF stands for The World Wide Fund for Nature.

It is important to be able to quantify the effectiveness of the earth hour campaign, and it is important that earth hour is not only about an hour of darkness, but rather about lifestyle change. Please use every opportunity to direct people to www.wwf.org.za where they can pledge their support for earth hour and for reducing their own environmental impact (EH section of the site goes live on 15 February)

1.  Explain the history of Earth hour and South Africa’s involvement?

The concept of WWF’s Earth Hour began in Sydney Australia in 2007 when over 2 million people turned off their lights in a call for action against climate change.  Earth Hour was officially launched in South Africa last year and saw incredible participation – from then-president Kgalema Mothlanthe to local celebrities, sport stars, school children and the elderly. Eskom announced that the equivalent of between 4 and 7 million lightbulbs were turned off during the hour of darkness.

2.  How important is this initiative especially in terms of our energy issues in S.A?

WWF’s Earth Hour is not about saving electricity, but is rather a symbolic act, calling for strong action on climate change.  It is however true that more than 90% of South Africa’s electricity is produced from coal fired power stations, and practicing energy efficiency as a lifestyle and a way of doing business is a critical element of helping limit climate change. Turning off one’s lights for an hour, while resulting in relatively small electricity saving, sends a clear message to South African leaders that South Africans are serious about climate change. The best long term solution is for our government to invest in renewable energy, which together with energy efficiency will help significantly reduce our carbon emissions. At the same time, 27% of South African households are not electrified. We can give these households access to the energy services they deserve by leapfrogging carbon-intensive sources of energy to using renewable energy technologies.

3.  What exactly gets done during Earth hour?

From the middle of February we will be calling on all South Africans to participate in Earth Hour and make a pledge online at www.wwf.org.za to take action in their personal / professional capacity, actions that reduce their own carbon footprint. From 20:30 to 21:30 on 27 March this year, homes, businesses, municipal buildings, schools and universities across the globe will turn off their lights for one hour as a call for action on climate change.

4.  Were previous years a success?

WWF South Africa launched Earth Hour in 2009 and it was a resounding success. South Africans really responded to the opportunity to finally, physically DO something about climate change. Participation was widespread with many shops closing early in order to accommodate the hour.

5.  Earth Hour is more than just switching off your lights for an hour, what’s the real meaning that’s behind it?

We all know climate change is a big problem. We need to keep global warming as far below 2 degrees as possible to avoid dangerous runaway climate change.
Internationally, we need world leaders to deliver a fair, effective and binding new climate deal – Copenhagen was far from sufficient. Nationally, we need government to embrace clean renewable energy as a viable and more cost effective alternative to dirty coal power in order to build a low carbon economy.

6.  How does such an initiative tie into last year’s Copenhagen summit

The Copenhagen Summit was a global disappointment. World leaders missed a vital opportunity to ensure real action on climate change. During Earth Hour, the world calls on leaders to commit to definitive action on climate change. With the failure of Copenhagen, our next chance is Mexico in December 2010. But time is running out.

7.  What can people do to take part in Earth Hour?

Firstly, WWF is inviting people to pledge their support for action on climate change at www.wwf.org.za Here you can commit to make changes in your own life to reduce your own impact on the planet. You can also find out ways to implement earth hour in your own context – be it at work or in your own neighbourhood. Secondly, from 20:30 – 21:30 on 27 March 2010 WWF asks all South Africans to turn off their lights in a show of support for action on climate change.

8.  What can people do to help fight climate change?

There is much that we can do, changes we can make in our own lives that will contribute towards the fight against climate change. We need to look at ways to reduce our carbon footprint and even small changes can make a big difference. Become informed and help spread awareness around climate change.

In addition to this, call on your leaders (write letters to ministers, to newspapers)  to implement effective policies to address climate chance and demand the rapid roll-out of ambitious renewable energy (solar energy, wind energy and solar water heaters) and energy efficiency programmes in South Africa.

9.   What changes does South Africa need to make to help fight climate change?

The South African government needs to implement domestic policies that support emission reductions by promoting growth in renewable energy over coal power (By 2020, 15% of our electricity should come from renewable energy sources).

Business can play a significant role by changing business models to include sustainable practises and low carbon principles. The Carbon Disclosure Project is an initiative which is driving this sort of change. Business leaders can also influence and lobby key decision-makers to help secure an ambitious global climate deal and implement sound domestic policies at home.