This Earth Hour 2020, WWF-Philippines Encourages Filipinos to Help #ChangeTheEnding of the Current Environmental Crisis

March 11, 2020 - Earth Hour, the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment, will be held on March 28 at 8:30 PM local time in an effort to bring together millions of people around the world in a show of commitment for the planet. With global biodiversity decreasing at an alarming rate, with millions of species at risk of extinction, and with the planet now faced with runaway global warming, there is now a great need for awareness on the importance of nature and a healthy planet, and for long-term solutions to the current environmental crisis.

Since the first “lights out” event was held in Sydney in 2007, the movement has continued to bring together individuals, businesses, and governments alike in joint acts of commitment toward a future of environmental integrity and where man lives in harmony with nature. This year, the movement will be inviting millions of supporters to showcase their support online through Voice for the Planet. These e-signatures will then be presented at international forums such as the United Nations General Assembly, to help secure a New Deal for Nature that addresses nature loss and environmental decline in order to safeguard our shared futures.

“The global rate of nature loss during the past 50 years is unprecedented in human history, threatening human lives and well-being,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International. „?The services provided by nature are estimated to be worth US$125 trillion a year – double the world?s GDP - and without nature?s resources, the businesses and services we depend on will fail. Nature also benefits us by providing our food, water and clean air, and is one of our strongest allies against climate change. It is vital that we add our Voice for the Planet to press for a New Deal for Nature and People in 2020 for a sustainable future for all.”

“We want to be able to use Earth Hour to galvanize people, to bring our messages forward - that our own actions have an effect on our planet, and that our own actions are also the solution that will be able to provide for us and for our shared home,” said WWF-Philippines Earth Hour Pilipinas National Director Atty. Angela Ibay. WWF-Philippines has shared Earth Hour?s messages of conservation with the rest of the country since the organization held its first switch-off event in 2008.

“Our government is ready to partner with the rest of society to make sure that when we take care of the environment, we take care of society. The government, with its broad support, will help make things possible, to make sure that in this era of climate change, we will survive and thrive,” said Climate Change Commission Policy Research and Development Division Chief, Jerome Ilagan. Public support and the translation and mainstreaming of conservation science across all levels of Philippine government are crucial in addressing the country?s environmental issues, added Ilagan.

In the past decade, Earth Hour has inspired global participation in critical climate and environmental initiatives, helping drive awareness and, in turn, action and policy change. Among its highlights, the movement has helped in the creation of a 3.5 million hectare marine-protected area in Argentina, a 2,700-hectare Earth Hour forest in Uganda and helped pass new legislation for the protection of seas and forests in Russia. Last year, WWF-Ecuador pushed for a law to ban the use of plastic bags, other single-use plastic and Styrofoam products in the capital and WWF-Indonesia initiated the planting of 20,000 mangrove seedlings in 13 cities. 

“We always welcome the public and appreciate contributions and feedback from happenings on the ground. Thank you for supporting efforts like Earth Hour, and let?s let the narrative of greatness continue,” ended Ilagan.

Earth Hour 2020 Philippines 

“There?s this whole digital space that we haven?t fully maximized yet. So, Earth Hour, in a lot of countries, is going online this year,” continued Atty. Ibay, as she explained the WWF?s network?s various Earth Hour efforts for 2020. WWF offices in Singapore, Nigeria, and Senegal, among others, are also exploring digital efforts this year.

In response to the growing need for environmental action, WWF-Philippines is using this year?s celebration as an opportunity to launch its newest campaign nationwide. At the same media launch, a short video, starring WWF-Philippines Earth Hour Ambassador Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski and WWF-Philippines Child Advocate Xia Vigor, debuted during the conference. The campaign, entitled #ChangeTheEnding, shows the public that there are current realities that must be dealt with, and that there are certain, precarious scenarios of environmental collapse and human suffering that could occur if nothing is done. Changes in rain patterns, for example, coupled with the Philippines? increasing population could result in severe water shortages before the year 2030 if comprehensive and immediate action is not undertaken today. The campaign reminds the public that in spite of current trends, we can still change the ending if we start acting now.

Businesses, local governments, and individuals alike are being asked to help combat these issues however they can, with the campaign stressing the need for us to go beyond mere commitments and to start performing actions for the sake of the planet. WWF-Philippines is also encouraging these stakeholders to join in “changing the ending” by participating in its different projects and programs.

WWF-Philippines is also inviting the general public to participate in local Earth Hour 2020 activities, to be held across the country on the 28th of March. Earth Hour 2020 Philippines will largely be a digital effort, and WWF-Philippines will be supporting the events of government agencies, local government units, and private businesses. More importantly, WWF-Philippines is encouraging individuals to take part in Earth Hour 2020 from their own homes, through actions as simple as closing and leaving off non-essential lights for the night.

“This year, we decided to invest in a campaign that will reach beyond Earth Hour. This campaign will hopefully send a message that will show how everything that we?ve allowed to happen is affecting the generations after us. It?s us right now, however, who are in a position to make a change,” said WWF-Philippines Earth Hour Ambassador Mikee Cojuangco-Jowarski.  CojuangcoJowarski has represented WWF-Philippines as Earth Hour Ambassador since 2012. For the past eight years, she has seen the message of Earth Hour evolve to incorporate the most pressing environmental issues of the time.

“The hashtag, #ChangeTheEnding, it?s kind of scary because we?re talking about an ending. But an ending can come. That?s what, globally, we?re saying, that at this point there?s no turning back. And then we have children like Xia, who are aware of a lot of these things, and we can?t just let things go in the direction that they?re going. Working on this campaign, shooting this video, it was just as much a push for me to deliver the message as best we could,” added Cojuangco-Jowarski.

For those looking to take part in this year?s Earth Hour 2020 activities, WWF-Philippines is requesting for content to be shared using the #EarthHourPH2020, #Connect2Earth, and #ChangeTheEnding hashtags. The organization will be sharing this content, together with the #ChangeTheEnding campaign video, as a display of the Philippines? joint commitment to the protection of the natural world.

Partnerships for a Sustainable Future

To showcase how their organization is working to change the ending, WWF-Philippines? corporate partner GCash shared their own initiatives toward the conservation of the country?s natural resources through videos. The financial technology company has championed its GCash Forest initiative over the past year in an effort to reforest and rehabilitate Ipo Watershed, source of water to 96% of Metro Manila along with the Angat Watershed. Official venue partner Summit Hotels also shared their sustainability efforts.

Viber is also one of WWF-Philippines? major partners for Earth Hour. The instant messaging application will release a sticker pack focusing on the #AyokoNgPlastik movement across its platform on March 26, in order to encourage the public to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics.

WWF-Philippines works together with businesses and government agencies through transformative partnerships aimed at protecting and enhancing the country?s natural wealth. Through these partnerships, the organization hopes to tackle the most pressing environmental issues of today.

“From one small water bottle that you don?t use, to trying to minimize your travel, to eliminating, even, food waste, even if it?s just a teaspoon of rice, all around - up, down, left, right, we can always save. By doing these little saves, we eventually end up saving our environment. This way, we can change the ending,” said WWF-Philippines Executive Director Joel Palma. 

“I was inspired, working with Xia, knowing that we have a responsibility to young people like her. You know, we talk about the future generation all the time, but we?re already feeling the effects of the things we?ve done. Maybe it will take us a few years before we can have an effect on these big environmental issues, but it just shows us all the more the urgency for us to do it,” concluded Cojuangco-Jowarski.

Visit www.earthhour.org to find out what is happening for Earth Hour in locations around the world. Be a part of shaping history by raising your Voice for the Planet, and take part in WWF-Philippines? #ChangeTheEnding campaign. Learn more about how our projects are helping change the ending at wwf.org.ph.