Scotland gears up for largest participation yet in Earth Hour 2010

The international conservation organisation World Wide Fund for Nature has announced that its energy saving event Earth Hour has achieved record support from countries around the world, including an unprecedented rally of support in Scotland.

Twenty-one Scottish local authorities announced support for the event, with Aberdeen and South Ayrshire as new additions. Scottish landmarks Edinburgh Castle, Stormont and Inverness Castle have committed to dimming their lights for the hour.

Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland said: “It is fantastic to see the momentum of WWF’s Earth Hour continue to build with records being broken every week. This year's participants will be joining hundreds of millions of people round the world in sending a strong call to action on climate to world leaders.

“In Scotland we are breaking records too with 21 of the 32 local authorities so far committed to switching off on 27 March, joining over 1,100 cities and towns across the world.

“Whether you are joining your community in a town square to watch the city lights go dark or hosting a lights out party in your own home, you will be taking part in a historic occasion. Turn off your lights, celebrate the planet, enjoy the moment and think about what action you will take from then on to secure the future of our living planet.”

Worldwide, the number of supporting countries has increased by four, with 92 countries pledging their support for the environment-friendly event.

In the rest of the UK, the Greater London Authority has announced that it will dim the lights of the London Eye, The Royal Albert Hall and Piccadilly Circus, and Cardiff has announced that its national sports ground The Millennium Stadium will participate.

Earth Hour is an event organised by the WWF and based in Sydney, Australia, with supporting countries turning off all non-essential electrical appliances for one hour on the last Saturday of March from 8.30pm. The event began in 2007 when the WWF and the Sydney Morning Herald asked over two million residents of the Australian city to perform this gesture.