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India and Pakistan Mark Earth Hour’s 20th Year With Landmark Switch-Offs and Reported Power Cuts

Experts say the anniversary should spur year-round climate action.

Overview

  • The lights-off hour, held Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 pm, saw landmarks, government buildings and homes across India and Pakistan turn off non-essential lights.
  • The Archaeological Survey of India confirmed all protected monuments joined, with Delhi sites such as India Gate, Red Fort and Qutub Minar going dark.
  • Power distributors reported immediate demand drops, with Delhi saving 216 MW during the hour, including 174 MW in BSES areas and 73 MW in TPDDL’s network.
  • In Pakistan, Parliament House observed the hour after Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s directive, and Punjab said more than 500 locations took part on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s orders.
  • Environmental experts called the event symbolic and urged lasting policy and community steps, as WWF-India and local officials ran awareness drives and tree-planting events in Gwalior and Kot Addu.