The Executive Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-PH) delved into Manila’s role as the host for Earth Hour 2024, emphasizing the event’s significance to similar environmental initiatives.
Manila’s designation as this year’s Earth Hour host city stems from a longstanding collaboration between the WWF-PH and the local government of Manila.
“Because we're also working with them on a project called “No Plastics in Nature” Initiative of ours through the Plastic Smart Cities program,” Atty. Angela Ibay, the executive director of WWF-PH, said.
WWF-PH, along with the City of Manila, will continue the Plastic Smart Cities program and other similar initiatives to help Manila in achieving its targets of reducing plastic waste leakage.
Earth Hour 2024 switch-off is the first time Manila has hosted the event, but it has participated in the switch-off in previous years.
The annual switch-off, which began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and followed by the Philippines in 2008, aims to raise public awareness about the climate crisis and encourages individuals to recognize their ecological roles.
“Earth Hour had a plan for the next ten years to ensure also that we shifted to get the knowledge [and] awareness on biodiversity laws,” Ibay said.
Ibay also discussed a survey conducted by Pulse Asia on climate change communications, indicating that nearly 70% of respondents are aware of climate change. This survey underscores the importance of events like Earth Hour in disseminating climate change awareness.
Meanwhile, Ibay expressed concern regarding the inconsistent adherence to environmental policies among Filipinos.
“I think what we need to watch out for and maybe for students is to help monitor and maybe to, one is to encourage the city and second to ensure also that they're actually implementing well. Because as you know, in the Philippines, a challenge, nothing is, we do have like good laws, good intentions, some good initiatives, but the monitoring can be not as consistent as we want to. And I think that's where we need to push. And, and by monitoring we need, we are ensuring that at least, you know, implementation can be done on a consistent basis,” she said.
The executive director of WWF-PH envisions Earth Hour's impact extending beyond mass participation events, emphasizing the importance of consistent ecological actions for achieving cleaner air, and water for future generations.
“We'd want to ensure that beyond participation, people do act, do, act and, and implement climate actions even at, at their own, you know, place of work in their houses. And they do it on a consistent basis. Because, as much as we like to hold events like this, at the end of the day, the impact will be felt. If we have cleaner air, inner water, we have a climate that is stabilized and that it's sustainable for future generations to live [in],” she said.
As of 8:20 p.m., the Manila Police District reports over 2,000 attendees present for the Earth Hour 2024 Switch Off. — Manila Pulse
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