KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, once again united millions of people around the world to show their commitment to the planet. As global biodiversity declines at an unprecedented rate, coupled with the ever-present challenge of climate change, Earth Hour 2019 takes on a localised effort of halting the loss of Malaysia’s rich biodiversity to safeguard freshwater supply in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia.


 This Earth Hour, WWF-Malaysia worked with the Penang State Government, Penang Island City Council and Gurney Paragon Mall to organise a Zumba and Night Yoga Event at Gurney Paragon Mall, Georgetown in Penang. Additionally, WWF-Malaysia, the Kedah State Government and Alor Setar City Council organised the inaugural Earth Hour Night Run at Aman Central, Alor Setar in Kedah. Both events saw enthusiastic participants supporting the call for greater protection of the Ulu Muda Forest Complex, which provides the crucial water supply of up to 96 percent of Kedah’s, 80 percent of Penang’s and 40 percent of Perlis’s freshwater needs respectively.
 
“Once again, the people have come together through Earth Hour,” said Sophia Lim, Executive Director/CEO of WWF-Malaysia. “Nature is vitally important to everyone’s daily life; it underpins our economic prosperity and development, and our very survival – but we are using our planet’s resources faster than nature can replenish itself. While it is encouraging to see people collectively standing up for nature by participating in our Earth Hour events to raise funds for biodiversity conservation, we need to be more ambitious and scale up our actions. We need to inspire a global commitment to stop and reverse the loss of nature with a New Deal for Nature and People.”
 
The next few years are in fact critical to put the planet on the path to a better future. The year 2020 will witness an historic moment when a number of international conventions converge and key decisions will be taken on setting the direction of climate action, development and nature for decades to come. The unified voice of many millions of people will be needed to challenge decision makers to ensure the loss of nature is top of the agenda.
 
WWF-Malaysia is appreciative of working together with the Penang State Government, Kedah State Government, Penang Island City Council and Alor Setar City Councils. The organisation also extends sincere thanks to the Earth Hour sponsors being Gurney Paragon Mall, Aman Central, Celcom, Samsonite, Salesworks and SG Global Support Services, as well as collaborators Yes Media, Santa Fe, LM Bikers Club, Happy Star Entertainment Production Sdn Bhd and broadcast partner Astro.
 
All registration proceeds will be channelled to WWF-Malaysia’s conservation efforts.
 
Visit www.earthhour.org to know what is happening in locations around the world and read  stories from individuals about what they are doing for our planet.
 
Read more: https://bit.ly/2UqjiTi

Source: WWF-Malaysia
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Sheena Wong
WWF-Malaysia
Tel: +603-74503773
Email: sywong@wwf.org.my 
 
--BERNAMA