Earth Hour 2009 setting new records in climate concern

• The number of participating countries has already doubled compared to 2008
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu leads call for action on climate change
• Obama artist Shepard Fairey lends his creative abilities to Earth Hour artwork

The list of cities confirming their participation in Earth Hour 2009 includes 37 national capitals and some of the great cities of the world, including London, Beijing, Rome, Moscow, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Athens, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Mexico City, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Manila, Las Vegas, Brussels, Cape Town and Helsinki.

In Canada, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax have confirmed their participation as official partner cities and more cities and municipalities across the country are joining every day. Cities can join the movement or get information by emailing WWF-Canada at [email protected].

The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) led event continues to show amazing momentum. What began as an awareness-raising event in Sydney, Australia in 2007, grew to an astounding 371 cities across 35 countries in 2008. This year, the number of countries participating has already doubled and discussions are under way or nearing completion in hundreds of other cities worldwide.

WWF Director General, Mr James Leape, said he is optimistic about the campaign’s potential to drive key decision making on the issue of climate change.

“With hundreds more cities expected to sign up to switch off in the coming months, Earth Hour 2009 is setting the platform for an unprecedented global mandate for action on climate change,” he said.

Along with the great metropolises of the world, Earth Hour 2009 will also see the lights go out on some of the most recognized landmarks on the planet, including Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Table Mountain in Cape Town, Merlion in Singapore, Sydney Opera House, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and the CN Tower in Toronto.

A host of high profile ambassadors across the world have also lent their support to the campaign, most notably Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett.

Shepard Fairey, the artist noted for his graphic portrayals of Barack Obama during the recent US Presidential Election, has likened flicking the switch to casting a vote on climate change in artwork for the Earth Hour campaign.

2009 is a critical year for action on climate change, as the world’s leaders are due to meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December to establish a new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.

Comparison Table of participating cities and countries

Note to Editors:

• B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at www.earthhour.org/mediacentre
• Please refer to backgrounder for a full list of cities and icons already committed to Earth Hour 2009.
• Caption for attached image “Example of campaign image created by Shepard Fairey for Earth Hour 2009”

About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 PM to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, and has since grown into a global movement with a goal of reaching one billion people in 1,000 cities in 2009. In Canada, CBC, Sears Canada and Coca Cola Ltd. (Coca-Cola in Canada) are the official sponsors.

About WWF
WWF-Canada is part of WWF – the global conservation organization. Founded in 1967, WWF-Canada has become one of the country’s leading conservation organizations, enjoying the active support of more than 100,000 Canadians. WWF-Canada works to save nature by conserving species and protecting their habitats; by ensuring our use of natural resources is sustainable, and by helping individuals, companies and governments reduce pollution. For more information, visit wwf.ca.

For further information: Tara Wood, Manager, Public Relations, WWF-Canada, phone: 416-484-7710, cell: 416-407-0775, [email protected]