Earth Hour Champions is a new programme that has been set up to recognise the supporters of Earth Hour and to encourage climate consciousness amongst future potential leaders. The programme mainly focuses on providing an opportunity to engage Champions in working with the global team in Singapore, and have Champions’ help in campaigns as well as to take into consideration their opinions in the form of polls and contest.
Beyond that, the aim of the Champions is also to promote Earth Hour in their own region and be an ambassador for Earth Hour.
Earth Hour is a Global Environmental Movement by WWF. WWF is the parent organisation of Earth Hour and started Earth Hour with teams and partners in Sydney, Australia back in 2007. Earth Hour™ Global is a registered charity under the Charities Act in Singapore and company limited by guarantee.
Urban Planner Dr Piyush Ranjan Rout, who was recently added to Earth Hour Champions’ family is the man behind putting Bhubaneswar in global earth hour observed city since 2007 when it began in Sydney by appealing and motivating local Governments, civil society, Governments, Corporates, households, business entity etc. The result today is many are voluntarily participating by observing earth hour with activities such as cycling, using solar products and switch off drive while giving a thought on environment, climate change and global warming, etc.
Dr Rout has founded a not for profit organisation like local Governance Network to encourage innovation in city management.
“I am in Bhubaneswar to promote brand value of Bhubaneswar city. We all ride bicycles to advocate bicycling etc. We conduct various knowledge workshops to ignite city decision makers, children, civil society etc on what they are doing and what the cities around the globe are doing. lGNet is today one of the leading organisations when it calls for local democracy,” said Dr Rout.
Dr Rout has been identified in past by United Nations Office for disaster risk reduction as advocate for UNISDR Making Cities Resilient Campaign. He is winner of Hindustan Times Brightest Young Climate leaders besides Brand Ambassador status from the Odisha Environment Congress etc. Dr Rout is instrumental behind transforming ugly walls and spots with introduction of city wall painting, organising street vendors into vending zones, city level cycling tracks and public transport systems etc.
This year’s Earth Hour will be held on March 19 (Saturday) from 8.30pm to 9.30pm where billions of people across the globe including Bhubaneswar will take part by switching off lights for that one hour as symbolic and spectacular lights out display.