.png)
As the world prepares to go dark for Earth Hour, environmental campaigners are pressuring ministers, demanding bold, decisive action to safeguard nature. On Saturday at 8:30 PM, iconic landmarks—including Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster, and the London Eye—will extinguish their lights in a symbolic show of solidarity with the planet. This global initiative, spearheaded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), highlights the urgent need for environmental preservation.
Public Frustration Grows Over Government Inaction:
With the event, WWF has unveiled new polling data, exposing a deepening frustration among the British public. The survey, conducted by More in Common, gathered insights from 2,346 respondents—and the results paint a stark picture.
🔹 52% of Britons believe the Government is failing to do enough to protect the environment.
🔹 48% want ministers to offer more support in helping individuals reduce their ecological footprint.
🔹 Among younger generations, the demand is even louder—65% of 18- to 24-year-olds call for increased governmental intervention.
🔹 Most strikingly, just 24% of the British public feel their leaders adequately protect nature.
WWF Calls for a Living Planet Act:
Beyond symbolic gestures, WWF is demanding concrete legislative action. The organization urges the Government to introduce a Living Planet Act, establishing legally binding targets to curb environmental destruction, safeguard biodiversity, and hold businesses and policymakers accountable.
Tanya Steele, WWF chief executive, said: “The public clearly care deeply about nature and the environment and are saying they want to see more action from the Government.
“People are doing their bit, and they want to see political leaders follow suit to look after our natural world.
“We’re calling on ministers to bring forward a new law – a Living Planet Act – to make sure the needs of people, nature and climate are balanced, now and for future generations.
“It comes at a time when people around the world are uniting for Earth Hour – a powerful collective moment to appreciate the natural world, reflect on the urgency of saving it, and demand the leadership needed to secure our future.”
A Nation Goes Dark for the Planet:
In addition to Westminster and Buckingham Palace, a wave of UK landmarks will join the blackout, including:
✔️ Trafalgar Square
✔️ Piccadilly Lights
✔️ Windsor Castle
✔️ Tate Modern & Tate St Ives
✔️ The Liver Building
✔️ Stirling Castle, Arbroath Abbey & Linlithgow Palace
As lights flicker across the globe, one question remains: will symbolic gestures translate into real action? The public is watching—and waiting.
A Defra spokesperson said: “After years of failure, nature across Britain is suffering. We are losing our precious species, our rivers are awash with pollution, and many of our iconic landscapes are in a state of deep decline.
“This cannot continue. As a part of our Plan for Change, the Government is already taking significant steps to protect and restore nature. This includes investing £400 million on tree planting and peatland restoration, delivering the Water Bill to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas, and setting up a Nature Restoration Fund to deliver large-scale environmental improvements across whole communities.”
Comentarios