This evening at 8:30 pm, major cities and world landmarks across the globe will be turning their lights off for 60 minutes in support of Earth Hour.

Set up by the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) in 2007, Earth Hour is an annual global event which encourages business and households to unite in turning off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances as a symbolic energy-saving exercise.

HSBC is once again supporting this event, with participation in over 59 countries around the HSBC Group, including Malta, in order to raise awareness and help avert potentially devastating climate change.

Global warming is generally accepted by scientist to be the greatest threat facing our planet today. A warming planet alters weather patterns, water supplies, seasonal growth for plants and a sustainable way of life.

HSBC Malta estimates that its own “Earth Hour” initiatives will this year save 78 kgs of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to emissions of 89 households.  This is over and above other savings made by HSBC staff personally, who will be participating in this worthwhile initiative. This year, HSBC will also be increasing the number of properties that will be participating in Earth Hour.

“As a long term supporter of WWF’s Earth Hour, HSBC Malta values this campaign as a resounding reminder of the serious threats posed by climate change,” said Mark Watkinson, CEO of HSBC BankMalta. “This world-wide activity also passes the powerful message that every individual, every business, and every community can coordinate its resources in response to the climate challenges our planet is facing.”

Participation in Earth Hour has been growing steadily and last year saw hundreds of millions of people across 135 countries switching off for an hour.