PHOTO:AFP
LAHORE: Much like the rest of the country and in fact the whole world, Lahore also switched off its lights for one hour at 8:30pm to mark Earth Hour 2017.
Pearl Continental Lahore also marked joined the movement by switching off all lights at the hotel and serving diners in a candlelit environment after 8:30pm.
“This is the ninth year that the PC has participated in the Earth Hour movement,” said the hotel’s general manager Zulfiqar Malik. “All great things start with small steps. Turning off power where it is not needed is quite a big step to begin with.”
In collaboration with Emporium Mall, the Worldwide Fund for Nature-Pakistan organised the Earth Hour in Lahore.
Ahmed Khan, the marketing head for the mall, said Emporium had considered a wide range of sustainability features to reduce its environmental impacts.
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WWF-Pakistan joined 184 nations around the world to mark the tenth running of Earth Hour. It is the movement’s biggest edition yet and aims to promote solidarity over climate change.
Landmarks across the city and the country switched their lights off and joined the call to stand with millions of people shining a light on climate change.
In his message for Earth Hour 2017, WWF-Pakistan Director-General Hammad Naqi Khan said the country has come a long way since 2010 when WWF-Pakistan first observed the event. “The seeds we sowed have taken roots and the masses are comparatively aware of climatic changes around us,” he added.
“If we look to the past, we will understand that movements have shaped our lives. Movements matter and the Earth Hour will shape our future. It serves as a constant reminder that we should lean towards a more prosperous and renewable future,” Hammad stressed.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Imrana Tiwana, convener of the Lahore Bacaho Tehreek, an environmental conservation organisation, said Earth Hour was celebrated every year with the spring equinox. That is when the sun is closest to the earth and the event marks revival and revitalisation.
Earth Hour is a call to action towards changing the mindset completely. “Our planet is now in extreme distress and it is impacting our economic and social conditions. Climate change’s impact, coupled with rapid urbanization, calls for a paradigm shift,” Tiwana highlighted.
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She said it was time for Pakistan to “walks the talk”, especially in terms of shifting towards renewable energy. She added Balochistan, for example, had a lot of potential for solar energy plants, but such opportunities are being overlooked because it has never been a priority.
“In a country where certain areas go without electricity for up to eight hours, the provision of sustainable energy sources should be reprioritized,”Tiwana said.
She stated Earth hour was all the more important, especially in 2017 at a time when the global population is left with little choice but to opt for sustainable living practices.
“It’s a wakeup call and every year climate change-related issues are becoming more and more critical. Ultimately, it has essentially become a very simple equation which cannot be overlooked,” she added.
Punjab Environment Protection Department’s focal person Nasimur Rehman Shah said that for Pakistan, conserving energy is all the more important and initiatives like Earth Hour should be observed with renewed zeal every year.
Shah added that as a regulatory department, we focus on encouraging relevant stakeholders and industries to use environmentally-friendly technologies. These practices not only help industries in saving money, but also keep them in line with the national and provincial environmental laws.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2017.
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