On Saturday evening, major landmarks in Malta and around the world will go dark for an hour: the cause not a power cut but a global movement called Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is an annual tradition in which people switch off their lights to spread awareness about sustainability and climate change. It was started by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney in 2007, and since then spread all over the world, with millions of people participating.

Alongside some of the world's most recognisable sites, ordinary citizens are encouraged to take part by switching off the lights of their homes for one hour from 8.30pm. 

In Malta, the Auberge de Castille, Triton Fountain and Parliament Building in Valletta will all go dark, as will various ministries, local councils, public gardens and other public buildings. 

Environment minister Aaron Farrugia said the initiative aimed to raise awareness on the problems stemming from excessive and unsustainable energy consumption, which brings about many negative impacts including air pollution and waste of natural resources.

Earth Hour, he said, was symbolic of our collective duty to safeguard our environment, whereby a small effort by everyone results in major global benefit.

“Our environment is one of the strongest mechanisms with which humans can combat the negative effects of climate change. If we do not safeguard our environment, ecosystems and everything else depending on it will fail”, Farrugia said. 

He encouraged people to participate in their initiative from their own households and places of work, and to remain conscious of their energy consumption throughout the year.