Once again I’m pleased to have publicly pledged my support for Earth Hour – the world’s largest annual event to protect the planet. I am one of more than 100 MPs who have offered our backing in Parliament, ahead of the global lights out event on Saturday 30th March at 8:30pm.

Earth Hour, organised by WWF, is the global event inspiring millions across the world to take action and make a pledge to protect our brilliant planet, our home. Right now, we’re facing some of the biggest environmental threats ever seen. We’re the first generation to experience the effects of climate change – and we’re the last to be able to change it. We’re seeing our oceans suffocated by plastic and over-consumption decimating our forests, the lungs of the earth. Earth Hour shows what we can achieve when we all come together. Last year in the UK over 10 million people took part, along with over 7,000 schools, 1,700 youth groups, 400 landmarks and thousands of businesses and organisations.

Iconic landmarks including Big Ben and Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Blackpool Tower, The Kelpies, Brighton Pier, Cardiff Castle and many more joined the global switch off. Globally, from Samoa to Tahiti, a record 188 countries and territories took part in the world’s biggest Earth Hour yet. The support for Earth Hour and WWF’s work more broadly has influenced climate policy, facilitated climate-friendly laws, such as a ban on plastic in the Galapagos Islands and supported the world’s first Earth Hour forest in Uganda.

Earth Hour gives a voice to people everywhere who want to raise awareness of some of the biggest environmental challenges we are facing. I hope that by adding my voice for the planet I can encourage my constituents to do the same.

WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. Through their engagement with the public, businesses and government, they focus on safeguarding the natural world, creating solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature thrive.  Find out more about their work, past and present at wwf.org.uk.