Earth Hour in Edinburgh

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour moved to the next level, with buildings in thousands of cities and towns - including Edinburgh - switching off their lights as part of a global "vote for Planet Earth."

In 2010, Earth Hour saw a larger wave of darkness roll across the planet, with 134 countries and territories taking part: thousands of cities across all 7 continents, 8 out of the 10 most populated cities, 25 of the world’s megacities and 79 capital cities. Every Scottish city and Scottish local authority took part in Earth Hour.

Earth Hour 2012

Headed by WWF, Earth Hour returns on the last Saturday of March in 2012, and as before anyone can participate simply by switching off the lights and powering down their energy.

Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish Parliament building, and the Forth Rail Bridge are among the landmark places which are going dark for 60 minutes.

Edinburgh City Council's Waverley Court HQ, the City Chambers, the Scott Monument, Calton Hill monuments, Burns Monument, and St John's Church are among buildings expected to switch off for Earth Hour.

In previous years, iconic Edinburgh landmark, the Forth Bridge, as well as Our Dynamic Earth, and the Scottish Scouts have joined in Earth Hour.

WWF, who are co-ordinating Earth Hour, hope the event will re-invigorate people and government in the drive to reduce carbon emissions, particularly after world leaders failed to reach a binding climate change deal at the Copenhagen summit in December.

Scotland currently has some of the toughest emissions targets in the world. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act (2009) set a long-term target to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 80% relative to 1990, and 42% by 2020.