Rapid Fire
Earth Hour 2026
- 30 Mar 2026
- 2 min read
India participated in Earth Hour 2026 (28th March 2026, 8:30–9:30 pm), with major landmarks such as India Gate, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, etc. switching off lights in solidarity.
- About: Earth Hour is a global initiative organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that calls on individuals, governments, and institutions to switch off non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about climate change and environmental protection.
- Earth Hour 2026 marks 20 years of the campaign, highlighting its growth from a simple act into a powerful global call for sustainability and climate action.
- Theme: This year's theme, “Give An Hour For Earth”, encourages everyone to go beyond the switch off by dedicating 60 minutes to nature: reconnecting with it, restoring it, learning about it, or inspiring others to care for it.
- Origin: It began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a symbolic “lights off” movement and has since evolved into one of the largest global grassroots environmental campaigns.
- The movement now engages millions of people across more than 190 countries and territories, promoting not just symbolic action but broader planet-positive activities.
- Participation in India: In India, the initiative has expanded significantly since 2009 under WWF-India, with participation from 58 cities, widespread institutional support, and increasing digital engagement.
- Beyond the switch-off, the campaign in India promotes activities such as clean-up drives, nature walks, cyclothons, citizen science initiatives, and educational events, encouraging long-term environmental action.
| Read more: Earth Hour |
