Since our beginnings in 2007, Earth Hour has been known for the “lights off” moment, with individuals from around the globe switching off their lights to show symbolic support for the planet and to raise awareness of the environmental issues affecting it.

More than 15 years later, we are now at a tipping point with our climate and nature crises, putting at risk the fate of our one home and all our futures. We are on course to breach by 2030 the 1.5°C global temperature increase limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement, and nature - the source of our very livelihoods and one of our biggest allies against the climate crisis - is also under severe threat, facing alarming and unprecedented rates of loss globally.

The next few years are therefore crucial to all our futures - we have to stay under the 1.5°C climate threshold to avoid irreversible damage to our planet, and we need to reverse nature loss by 2030, ending the decade with more nature than we started, not less. To make this happen, individuals, communities, businesses, and governments must all urgently step up their efforts to protect and restore our one shared home.

With this 2030 goal in mind, we too must step things up. So in 2023, we’re breathed new life into Earth Hour - our brand, our work, our message, and our mission - creating the Biggest Hour for Earth. How? By calling on our supporters across the globe to switch off their lights and give an hour for Earth, spending 60 minutes doing something - anything - positive for our planet.

Amidst our increasingly divided and polarized societies, the Biggest Hour for Earth becomes a precious moment of unity, reminding the world that our one shared home needs our help and that we all can - and must - play a part in protecting it.

Source: https://www.earthhour.org/about/the-biggest-hour-for-earth

Earth Hour isn't just a symbolic movement - it's a catalyst for real change. Here are some of our major milestones and wins over the years.

In Bhutan since 2012, Earth Hour has grown from a symbolic lights‑off event in Thimphu to a broader awareness and action movement, incorporating community clean‑ups, competitive challenges, youth engagement, and sustained environment‑positive activities under the international "Biggest Hour for Earth" initiative.

31 March 2007

It all began on Saturday, 31 March 2007. The world’s first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, saw more than 2.2 million people turn off their lights for one hour to show a climate-sceptic government that people were concerned about climate change.

31 March 2012

Bhutan joined the global Earth Hour.

The Memorial Choeten in the capital, Thimphu went dark for an hour. The day began at the break of dawn on a solemn note with monks chanting prayers and meditating for the benefit of all sentient beings on earth. Minutes before the hour of darkness, Her Royal Highness Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck lit the ceremonial Kamey (traditional butter lamps) and joined the nation as a mark of solidarity against climate change.

23 March 2013

WWF-Bhutan, in collaboration with the National Environment Commission, observed the second earth hour in the country. In Thimphu, members of other CSOs and government official offered butter lamps as the lights were put off at the Memorial Chorten.

29 March 2014

Global Earth Hour at the Clock Tower Square in Thimphu.

With the theme, "USE YOUR POWER," the Earth Hour, 2014 will focus on making individuals realise the power they have in driving positive change for a healthy environment. Thimphu city, being one of the fastest growing cities in the world, is already facing and will continue to face immense challenges in addressing urban environmental issues.

28 March 2015

Earth Hour Garden below Zilukha Highway

“What God has made, man cannot remake”, said Dasho Paljor J. Dorji, Special Advisor to the National Environment Commission (NEC) in his keynote address to student volunteers during inauguration and tree plantation of Bhutan’s first Earth Hour Garden.

19 March 2016

In line with this year’s Earth Hour theme – “Shine a light on climate action”, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Bhutan went beyond the hour and focused on raising awareness and learning of environmental science at an early age.

A Climate Science Centre was set up in Dungkhar Primary School, Lhuntse. The Earth Hour event in Dungkhar, a place where Bhutan’s leadership began, reinforces Bhutan’s contribution and continued leadership in climate action.

25 March 2017

This Earth Hour.. Let us use our power.. to protect this World - Hour by Hour

In observing the Earth Hour in Bhutan today, an Earth Hour music video crafted by young up-and-coming Bhutanese musicians, was released! The video urges everyone to join the global effort and offer their love and support for our only home – the Planet Earth! Please Enjoy!

Click Here for Music Video

24 March 2018

In 2018, Earth Hour in Bhutan was celebrated with a, particularly, strong focus on rural engagement and youth, with a major event highlighted in Gomtu Higher Secondary School, Samtse, where WWF-Bhutan established its 4th Climate Science Center.

30 March 2019

In 2019, Earth Hour in Bhutan was observed on March 30th, focusing on raising awareness about nature loss, climate change, and promoting sustainable lifestyles through community-driven actions. WWF Bhutan and local partners, including the Bhutan Scouts Association, organized mass cleaning campaigns, tree planting, and educational workshops, with a major emphasis on engaging youth to protect the environment.

28 March 2020

Earth Hour 2020 in Bhutan was observed with a strong focus on digital participation and, in some cases, offering butter lamps instead of electricity to mark the hour. WWF Bhutan organized the "Bend the Curve Challenge" to encourage, and in some cases, offer butter lamps instead of electricity to mark the hour.

27 March 2021

In 2021, Earth Hour in Bhutan was celebrated featuring a mix of virtual initiatives and, where possible, local actions to combat climate change. WWF Bhutan promoted the event with a virtual spotlight, and the Bhutan Scout Association engaged in challenges focused on environmental sustainability.

26 March 2022

In 2022, the Bhutan Scout Association participated in Earth Hour by aligning with the global initiative to promote energy conservation and environmental awareness, specifically under themes of sustainability and "Climate Action for Peace".

25 March 2023

Earth Hour in Bhutan was celebrated focusing on creating the "Biggest Hour for Earth" by urging individuals to switch off lights and spend 60 minutes doing positive, nature-oriented activities and etc.

23 March 2024

As part of the Earth Hour celebration organised in collaboration with conservation partners and youth networks, close to 20,000 were given to earth from Bhutan as part of the global earth hour campaign of creating the Biggest Hour for Earth.

22 March 2025

Since its inception in 2007, Earth Hour has brought together millions of people from over 190 countries worldwide to act against the environmental challenges our planet faces. The unique and the most efficient part of the global campaign is that it allows all individuals to act in nature positive ways individually and in groups, symbolized by the simple act of switching off lights for an hour, has inspired generations to prioritize environmental stewardship.

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour, organized by WWF, is a global grassroots movement uniting people to take action on environmental issues and protect the planet. Engaging a massive mainstream community, Earth Hour was famously started as a lights out event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then, it has grown to engage millions of supporters globally, inspiring individuals and organizations worldwide to take action for the environment, and driving major legislative changes by harnessing the power of the crowd. As the movement grows, the one-hour lights out event continues to be the symbol of a broader commitment toward nature and our planet.

When does Earth Hour take place?

While WWF projects and individual actions under the Earth Hour movement continue throughout the year, the annual Earth Hour lights out event is held worldwide toward the end of March to encourage individuals, households, communities and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.

The dates of Earth Hour from 2023 to 2030 are... 

1. 25 March 2023
2. 23 March 2024
3. 22 March 2025
4. 28 March 2026
5. 20 March 2027
6. 25 March 2028
7. 31 March 2029
8. 30 March 2030

How long has Earth Hour been going for?

The first Earth Hour event was held on 31 March 2007. WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate action. More than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour in the first Earth Hour event.

What does Earth Hour ask people to do?

Earth Hour is calling on individuals, communities, and businesses across the world to switch off their lights and Give an hour for Earth, spending 60 minutes doing something - anything - positive for our planet.  

Anyone, anywhere is invited to give an hour for Earth doing something they love. Whether it’s giving an hour through the realm of food, fitness and wellness, nature, creativity, entertainment, or sustainability - we want people to have fun on Earth Hour, and help the planet while they’re at it!

What does Earth Hour aim to achieve?

For the past 10 years, people around the world have come together every Earth Hour to support efforts to tackle climate change. And, together, we have created a powerful movement that helped deliver strong global commitments to tackling this threat. Climate change remains a big challenge for us all.

But another urgent threat now demands our attention: the staggering loss of biodiversity and nature. Earth Hour today endeavors to spark global conversations on protecting nature not only because it is our strongest ally against to the climate crisis -  but also because of its importance in ensuring our own health, happiness, prosperity and even survival.

What does a commitment to Earth Hour mean?

By registering for Earth Hour, individuals, communities and businesses are making a commitment to turn their lights off for an hour in acknowledgement of an act they will undertake for the benefit of the planet. We hope that these individuals, communities and businesses will take action beyond the hour through Earth Hour, WWF and/or other environmental organizations and initiatives.

Do you have requirements or regulations about who can or cannot partner with Earth Hour?

Any partner must uphold and support the aims and principles of Earth Hour. These include encouraging individual and community engagement on environmental issues. Encouraging conscious decisions to change the way we live in order to affect environmental reform, without the use of scare tactics or shaming. The specific decisions about whether or not to partner with a group or corporation are made at local level by Earth Hour country and city teams based on what suits their needs and community in achieving the goals of Earth Hour.

Importantly, not everyone can call themselves partners of Earth Hour. The title “partner” is reserved only for organisations with a signed legal contract with WWF. Please refer to our Terms of Use for more information.

Whose idea was Earth Hour?

Earth Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour Co-Founder, Andy Ridley, resulting in the formation of a partnership between WWF-Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media to address the climate change issue.

In 2007, there was still a degree of skepticism and denial on the issue of climate change. Earth Hour came as the inspiration to rally people to the reality of climate change and start a dialogue about what we as individuals can do to help address the planet’s biggest environmental challenge yet. Leo Burnett partnered with WWF to promote the idea and help make the campaign a reality in Sydney, a campaign which has now gone beyond Australia and climate change to symbolize the growing global pursuit of a better, sustainable future for all.

What is Earth Hour’s relationship with WWF?

Earth Hour is an initiative of WWF. In 2007, WWF initiated Earth Hour as a way of engaging a broad section of society in the environmental issues challenging citizens across the world. WWF embraced the idea of an open source campaign that would allow communities and organizations to become part of a global movement to protect our planet.

How can I do more for Earth Hour than just switching off my lights?

Switch off and Give an hour for Earth by spending 60 minutes doing something - anything - positive for our planet! Don't know where to start? Check out this page for ideas!

What energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hour in previous years?

Earth hour does not claim that the event is an energy or carbon reduction exercise - it is a symbolic action. Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of energy or carbon reduction levels. Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. Participation in Earth Hour symbolizes a commitment to change beyond the hour.

Will my city go completely black during the event?

Earth Hour is not a black out. It is a voluntary action by its participants to show their commitment to an act of change that benefits the planet. For many businesses in city skyscrapers or for many government buildings, the lights are turned off at the end of the business day the Friday before Earth Hour. So, Earth Hour is more of a fade-out in some ways than a black out. There is usually no instant dramatic difference, but rather a gradual dimming of lights starting the day prior. Many major landmarks and neon signs are switched off for the hour and they are extremely noticeable. You may be able to see dramatic changes in large business districts or at iconic landmarks and buildings around the world and in your city.

Source: https://www.earthhour.org/faqs