Earth Hour 2018 to shine a light on the environment

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Earth Hour (60 Minutes Plus) 2018, was launched today with a youth panel discussion at Ogle Room, Herdmanston Lodge.  The forum was organised by the local arm of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) along with other key climate change stakeholders.

Member of the Earth Hour 2018 Organizing Team, Dionne Cush-Barnwell.

The panel discussion focused on the Importance of Environmental Education in fostering behavioural change, the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and the protection of the wetlands and freshwater ecosystems.

Member of the Earth Hour 2018 Organising Team, Dionne Cush-Barnwell explained the 60 minutes plus movement is geared towards actions being taken beyond the hour to observe Earth Hour 2018. She outlined some of the local activities.

“Today we launched the event with a panel discussion, but some of the pre-activities we have planned are some other symposiums across the country…we will have a selfie challenge being carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency and the office of Climate Change will be doing some school outreach activities to educate students on climate change.”

She added, “we will also have concerts in the various regions, art competitions in the Rupununi and essay competitions. Next week, Georgetown will be hosting a debate competition.”

Cush-Barnwell said the Earth Hour Organising Team will be hosting its annual Earth Hour observance activity in the National Park on March 24. The event will see a number of “high-level individuals” and organisations making pledges and highlight actions that will be taken by their agency to support climate action throughout the year.

“Guyanese countrywide will be expected to observe Earth Hour 2018 by turning off their non-essential lights for an hour, to a shine light on climate change and to show that action will be taken to reduce carbon footprint.”

Some key stakeholders that will be observing and carrying out activities to observe Earth Hour 2018 in Guyana are Conservation International, Department of Environment, Office of Climate Change, Protected Areas Commissions and various youth non-governmental organisations to name a few.

According to the international Earth Hour organisation, “Every year hundreds of millions of people around the world in more than 7,000 cities in over 180 countries take part in this amazing global conservation movement. People do a wide range of things around the hour to show they care about our planet’s future. Millions choose to mark Earth Hour by going ‘lights out’ for 60 minutes at 8.30pm – a symbolic show of solidarity.”

Part of the audience at the launch of Earth Hour 2018.

 

By: Crystal Stoll

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