The City of Johannesburg will join its international counterparts to celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, 27 March 2021, under the theme Climate Action to Save Earth.

The global campaign, which is organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),   encourages households and businesses to switch off non-essential lights and appliances for one hour between 8:30pm and 9:30pm. This symbolic gesture is targeted at raising awareness about climate change and its effect on the planet.

​​​​​
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the WWF advised that this year’s event be held virtually, with participants urged to use their social media accounts to share the message of climate change and its devastating effects on the ecosystem.

Earth Hour first started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and has since spread to over 7 000 cities.

The call to switch off lights should, however, not be confused with load shedding. It is a symbolic gesture to mobilise the community and businesses to support efforts geared towards addressing climate change and saving the planet.

“This can be done symbolically by switching off lights for an hour,” says Cllr Mpho Moerane, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Environment and Infrastructure Services.

“Climate change is causing many challenges around the world such as rising sea levels, floods, heatwaves, droughts and erratic rainfall patterns, These impacts of climate change are also already manifesting in the City, as the City has witnessed episodes of flooding, heatwaves, water scarcity associated with drought.

“It is evident that municipalities, communities and businesses are all impacted by climate change, hence the call for various stakeholders to heed the call to work together in the fight against climate change and on measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” says MMC Moerane.

He adds that this year’s theme is coined around speaking for nature, as nature cannot speak for itself.

“A healthy population begins with a healthy environment, and scientists around the world have warned that unless we take better care of the planet, we are at risk of even deadlier viruses emerging,” he emphasises.

Cllr Moerane says Johannesburg will use Earth Hour to enlighten residents about energy-saving methods, water-saving methods, waste management and waste separation at source, biodiversity protection, wetland protection and rehabilitation, including other ecologically friendly habits, which all require a united effort. He says the initiative will also help the municipality raise awareness about the need to conserve scarce resources, including water, energy and biodiversity.

Last year, the City of Johannesburg completed a Climate Change Action Plan. The plan requires a joint effort from the City, National and Provincial government, communities, business, academia, NGOs and CBOs, among others, to fight against climate change.

This entails reducing the carbon footprint of the City and the implementation of measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Climate Action Plan will be launched as part of the City’s active progress to Restore our Earth aligned with the three spheres of government from 20 to 22 April 2021.

Cllr Moerane says the Joburg Climate Change Action Plan reaffirms the City’s commitment to supporting and safeguarding the well-being and livelihoods of all its citizens by pursuing a sustainable future.

​Written by Dudu Lushaba