Earth Hour Makes History

Yesterday we witnessed the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change in human history. On March 28, 2009, at 8:30 PM, time zone by time zone, lights went out all around the world. By the time it was over, close to 1 billion people, in 4,000 cities and towns, voted for action on climate change by switching off their lights. To see images of major cities and landmarks going dark click here.

This is much more than a symbolic gesture, 88 countries turned out their lights to send an urgent message about climate change. From office towers to the humblest of abodes, businesses, organizations, families and individuals all spoke with one voice. Even in Antarctica, New Zealand's team at Scott Base, switched off all unnecessary lighting, appliances and computers.

Earth Hour reduced demand for electricity across the globe, with some cities like Toronto, reporting a 10% decrease in demand between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Perhaps most importantly, climate change negotiators and world leaders can be left with no doubt as to the public's support for urgent action on climate change.

The extraordinary success of Earth Hour 2009 constitutes a huge wave of public pressure that is sure to influence Climate Change meetings scheduled for Copenhagen (COP 15) later this year. If leaders can agree on frameworks for action in Copenhagen, March 28, 2009 may well be viewed as the turning point in our efforts to forge a Greener world.

Next: The Road to the Copenhagen (COP 15): Part 1, Timetable for Action on Climate Change / Part 2, Implications for Business / Part 3, Positioning your Business.