Canberra counts down to Earth Hour

With a week to go in the countdown to Earth Hour, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, has put the challenge out to Canberrans to continue our enthusiastic participation in the sustainable event from previous years.

"We are approaching the last days for people to be able to sign up for Earth Hour, and we want to ensure that once again Canberra has the highest participation rate of any Australian capital city," Mr Corbell said.

Earth Hour, an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, will be held on Saturday 31 March from
8:30- 9.30pm for an hour with the theme for this year centred on uniting people to protect the planet.

"Switching your lights off for that symbolic hour is a simple act everyone can do, with the results having a symbolic value worth much more than the actual, measurable value of the energy saved," he Corbell said.

"It sends a clear message that we are united with hundreds of millions of others around the world in addressing the global problem of climate change."

The ACT Labor Government has made its own commitment to addressing climate change with the most ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in Australia.

Draft Action Plan 2, currently being finalised, outlines five different pathways to reduce emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. Further to this, legislation has committed the ACT to a target of zero net emissions by 2060.

"Canberra's emissions targets provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate and showcase the feasibility and benefits of being responsive to climate change," said Mr Corbell.

"Our continued support of Earth Hour helps us to communicate this intent and commitment."

"I encourage all Canberrans to switch their lights off next week and join those hundreds of millions of our fellow global citizens in support of a sustainable future."

For further information and to register for Earth Hour, visit www.earthhour.org.au