South Africans Switch off Lights in Support of the WWF Campaign

Monday, 23 February 2009 10:50

From around the world individuals, businesses, communities and governments will switch off their lights for one hour in support of world leaders when they meet at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference at the end of the year.

Local South African celebrities such as, Marc Lottering, Ryk Neethling, Bryan Habana and Freshlyground are amongst those ambassadors for the (WWF) World Wide Fund for Nature that have agreed to switch off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on 28th March 2009.

The agreement which world leaders will deliberate in Copenhagen is expected to replace the Kyoto Protocol that will end in 2012.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu is regarded as the patron for the WWF across the world.

Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille said this initiative was critical to coastal cities such as Cape Town which would suffer extensively from rising sea levels.

Councillor Prema Naidoo said: “We look forward to joining our residents and the world in pledging to take action against climate change.” He added that Johannesburg has embarked on a number of initiatives to reduce the city’s carbon emissions.

Chief Executive Officer of the WWF, Dr Morne du Plessis said that Earth Hour 2009 has received much support from a broad range of well known South Africans from mayors to media personalities and sports stars. Local celebrities involved include Soli Philander, Jo-Ann Strauss, Leon Schuster, Kahn Morbee and the Moroka Swallows. “This shows how seriously South Africans are taking climate change. In South Africa the fight against climate change is particularly pertinent because of our levels of poverty and because the poor will be first and hardest hit by climate change.” he said.

“Kyoto was a start, but did not take the issue of climate change seriously enough. There is unequivocal evidence that humans have contributed significantly to carbon emissions which have catastrophic effects on the earth.” said Mr du Plessis.

He said that 2009 was an important year to hold initiatives to formulate a clear plan that would halt runaway emissions.

At this time 37 world capitals have signed to participate in Earth Hour 2009 and lighting at landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Cape Town’s Table Mountain will be switch off.

About one billion people are expected to take part in the WWF initiative.

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