Cities, monuments dim lights in a nod to Earth

PARIS, FRANCE — From Sydney to New York, cities and monuments dimmed their lights yesterday in a show of solidarity against the threats being faced by the planet from humankind.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Earth Hour, an annual bid to raise awareness about global warming caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas to power cars and power plants.

Since it was first held in 2007, in Sydney alone, great strides have been made in highlighting the dire state of the planet, according to the conservation group WWF, which organizes the event.

Earth Hour, said its coordinator Siddarth Das, must show that "each individual can help turn the page towards a sustainable, climate-resilient future for all."

Following the path of the sunset around the world, yesterday's events (between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm local times) kicked off with the Sydney Opera House dimming its lights, then moved westward through Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Monuments including the Empire State Building, the Kremlin, Big Ben, the Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower and Egypt's pyramids went dark to mark the event.

Lisbon hosted a concert by candlelight, Singapore held a "carbon-neutral run", and Tanzania organized a treeplanting ceremony.

Homes and businesses were also being asked to join in, and individuals can commit to the cause on Facebook.