Swiss locations to join Saturday lights out for biodiversity
Some 20 locations in Switzerland are joining an international "Earth Hour" initiative on Saturday evening, with lights going out for an hour in a gesture for nature.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
The aim is to “give a clear signal in favour of protecting our Earth”, says the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which has launched this global initiative.
In Switzerland, Geneva’s landmark Jet d’Eau and the Wizards’ Tower in Sion are among the monuments that will turn their lights off for an hour at 8.30pm Swiss time. The city of St. Gallen in northeast Switzerland is going a step further and organising a whole weekend around the Earth Hour theme of biodiversity.
Around the world, famous monuments such as the Empire State Building in New York and the Taj Mahal in India will remain in darkness. However, Russia will not participate in this operation, accusing the WWF of being a “foreign agent”.
“The fact that so many cities and people are taking part in Earth Hour shows how much the public wants to protect nature,” said Thomas Vellacott, Director General of WWF Switzerland. “With Earth Hour, we are sending a signal to decision-makers in Switzerland and around the world that it is high time to acknowledge the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] findings and act accordingly.”
The IPCC published its sixth synthesis report on Monday, which “clearly shows the urgency of the situation”, says WWF. “We must act without delay to combat the climate crisis and halt the loss of biodiversity.”
Swiss army taking part in NATO exercise in Germany
This content was published on
The Swiss army will be taking part in one of the largest air-operations exercises in Europe, which takes place in a different country each year.
This content was published on
Most of the 4,000 members of the armed forces who will be helping with various tasks from June 5 to 19 have now been deployed.
Legal action filed against pioneering Swiss large-scale Alpine solar plant
This content was published on
Three organisations have submitted an appeal with the administrative court in Bern against the planned large-scale solar plant in Oberwil.
Justice minister warns over Swiss parliament protest against climate ruling
This content was published on
Justice Minister Beat Jans says a possible declaration by the Swiss parliament against the European Court of Human Right (ECHR’s) recent landmark climate ruling against Switzerland could be problematic.
This content was published on
Talks aimed at reaching a global agreement on how to better fight pandemics will be concluded by 2025 or earlier if possible, the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.
This content was published on
Switzerland supports a new peace proposal pushed by US President Joe Biden for a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.
Parts of Switzerland and Germany waterlogged as heavy rains continue
This content was published on
Heavy rains continue to affect eastern Switzerland and the centre of the country. Flooding, landslides and damage to infrastructure have been reported. Further rains are forecast on Sunday.
Study: high pollen concentrations increase blood pressure
This content was published on
A high concentration of pollen can increase blood pressure in allergy sufferers, according to a Swiss study. The effect is much more pronounced in women and people who are overweight.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Will the new biodiversity framework help us live in harmony with nature?
This content was published on
A global agreement to protect 30% of the Earth from biodiversity loss can only be reached by meeting local challenges through cooperation.
This content was published on
Climate change and biodiversity loss are locked in an interconnected cycle making global action essential, says the head of global conservation body.
Earth Hour: Swiss monuments urged to switch off lights
This content was published on
Cities and individuals around the world are being called upon to turn off their lights on Saturday to draw attention to the climate emergency.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.