Argentina joins Earth Hour: its main monuments will turn off the lights – Telam

Argentinian monuments, municipal buildings, offices and houses will turn off their lights this Saturday between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. as part of “Earth Hour”, an event in which 140 countries are participating and whose objective is to raise awareness of climate change.

The event which has taken place since 2007 will have the participation of “more than 140 countries and territories united to highlight and solve the most relevant environmental problems”, says the Wildlife foundation, promoter of the initiative in Argentina since 2009.

This year’s edition seeks to highlight the “link between pandemics and loss of nature”.

“Evidence shows that there is a strong link between the destruction of nature and the increase in infectious diseases, and Earth Hour is an opportunity to raise awareness of the value of biodiversity, in a year in which world leaders will make key decisions on nature, climate change and sustainable development, ”the foundation said.

Marco Lambertini, Managing Director of WWF International, he assured: “Whether it is a decrease in pollinators, fewer fish in the oceans and rivers, the disappearance of forests or a greater loss of species, the evidence that nature is under threat is increasing. “.

“This is due to the way we live and manage our economies. Protecting nature is our moral responsibility; losing it also increases our vulnerability to potential pandemics, accelerates climate change and threatens our food security,” added the specialist.

As part of Earth Hour, Paper Boat and Palacio de los Leones (seat of executive power) in the city of Rosario; the Obelisk, the Woman’s Bridge, the Planetarium and the Usina del Arte, in the city of Buenos Aires, will turn off their characteristic lights for 60 minutes.

They will also do it in Ushuaia, the emblematic sign with the name of the city; In Mar del Plata, the Tanque tower and in the municipality of Puerto Iguaz, a plantation of indigenous trees will be carried out at the municipal sports center.

In La Plata, the lights of the Municipal Palace, located in streets 12 between 51 and 53, will also remain off at that time, according to an official statement.

The secretary of the local government, Marcelo Leguizamn, affirmed that “joining again this initiative of the municipality is a step forward in the construction of a city committed to the environment and climate change”.

Likewise, iconic world sites such as the Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the Colosseum in Rome, the Rova in Antananarivo in Madagascar, among others, will do.

Starting at 7.45pm, the Wildlife Foundation will host a virtual event which will be broadcast via its official Facebook account, in which it will broadcast “the preview live before you turn off the light”.

In addition, a Latin American digital walk for Earth Hour will take place, an interactive platform that allows participants to personalize their avatars and messages to “speak for nature” under three themes: biodiversity, plastic and climate change.

Nationally, Earth Hour 2021 has the support of more than 12 provinces and around 30 municipalities across the country; In addition, via social networks, the various organizations will promote content accompanied by the hashtag. #HoraDelPlaneta; #AlzTuVozPorLaNaturaleza, # LHP2021and#ConnectwithNature.