The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutan will join rest of the world in observing the Earth Hour today by switching off the lights for 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The day is observed on the last Saturday of March every year because it’s about the time of the spring and fall equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively.
The Earth Hour was celebrated for the first time in Bhutan in 2012 at Thimphu only but today other dzongkhags including schools, business community and residents will observe the event. This year the earth hour will observe in Dungkhar primary school where the first climate science centre for the students has been set up.
With support from the Department of Hydro-Met Services, a Climate Science Centre will be established in Dungkhar Primary School, Lhuntse today.
“This year’s theme for Earth Hour is a very important one, especially for Bhutan as we are located in a region most at risk from climate change,” said the Minister of Agriculture and Forests, Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji. “I encourage all Bhutanese to participate in this global event to share the opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world,” he said.
A tree plantation will also be organized in Dungkhar to encourage green initiatives such as planting trees that will eventually contribute to negating the ill effects of climate change and protect watersheds for the well being of Bhutan’s environment and green economy.
According to WWF Bhutan the day is originally done to raise awareness and inform the everyday citizens to be more aware on the use of energy as global warming and climate change is escalating and this symbolic gesture is a way to help the planet with the theme “Shine a light on climate action”.
The event is organized by the National Environment Commission, WWF, Clean Bhutan, Department of Forest and Park Services and Thimphu Thromde to encourage people to do more to curb waste and think of the environment.
The Earth Hour is a global campaign in over 7,000 cities in 185 countries with 1.8 billion people supporting to raise awareness about the need to take action on the climate change.
