Light spilling onto bustling streets, fluorescent lamps shining through every building window, and the neon of signboards — the Earth is always, ceaselessly, filled with light.
Then, on one particular day, when the appointed time arrives, the lights begin to go out one by one, and a moment arrives in which the tirelessly moving Earth finally catches its breath. This is Earth Hour — a moment of promise created together by people all around the world.
One Hour Created Together by the Entire World
‘Earth Hour’ is a global nature conservation campaign in which lights are turned off for one hour from 8:30 PM on the last Saturday of March each year to raise awareness of the severity of the climate crisis. Launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), this campaign began in Sydney in 2007 and has grown into the world’s largest environmental campaign, with approximately 190 countries now participating. Landmarks in major cities around the world — the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Great Wall of China, and others — also participate by turning off their lights at the same time, so around this time each year we often hear about it in the news. The goal of Earth Hour is not simply to save electricity. It has established itself as a symbolic practice that invites us to reflect on our everyday energy consumption and raise environmental awareness.
[Sydney, Australia, taking part in Earth Hour 2019 © WWF]
Amid the global movement to join Earth Hour, South Korea has also been consistently participating in the campaign. Seoul and various other local governments have joined by turning off the lights at public office buildings and major facilities. Gwangmyeong City will also participate in Earth Hour on the upcoming 28th from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
Domestic companies are also coming together. Lotte Property & Development has participated in Earth Hour for seven consecutive years since 2019, turning off the lights of the Seoul landmark Lotte World Tower. KakaoPay has also been participating in the campaign as part of its ESG management since 2023. In 2025, the participation of Kakao subsidiaries — KakaoPay Securities, KakaoPay Insurance, PayMint, and KP Insurance Service — added further significance.
This year again, major domestic landmarks including Sungnyemun Gate, the National Assembly Building, Lotte World Tower & Mall, 63 Building, Banpo Bridge, and Gwangan Bridge, as well as public institutions such as Seoul Metropolitan Government, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, and Seoul Arts Center, and various companies have announced their participation in the lights-out event.
The Change Brought About by Just One Hour
One might wonder, ‘What difference can a brief lights-out make?’ But the effect of Earth Hour is far from small. According to WWF Korea, during Earth Hour 2016, just one hour of lights-out at domestic public buildings was confirmed to have saved approximately 6,927,000 kWh of electricity and reduced about 3,000 tons of greenhouse gases. Moreover, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has stated that even if public institutions, apartment complexes, and major landmarks participated in just 10 minutes of lights-out, an estimated 41,189 kWh of electricity savings and 20.3 tons of greenhouse gas reduction could be expected. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by 3,077 thirty-year-old pine trees in a year, and comparable to taking approximately 4,486 cars off the road during commuting hours. An action that seems brief has created a change greater than expected.
[2026 Earth Hour Poster © WWF]
Filling the Space Where Lights Went Out with Action for the Planet
For Earth Hour 2026, WWF Korea has put forward the slogan ‘Resting for the Planet’s Sake.’ Emphasizing that the act of turning off the lights and resting is both personal rest and action for the planet, it has shone a light on the meaning of ‘a moment to pause.’ An event is being held through Instagram until March 30, with various WWF merchandise being offered through a drawing. Additionally, from March 21 to 29, a WWF Earth Hour campaign booth is being operated at Lotte World Mall, where the significance and importance of nature conservation are being promoted and various hands-on programs allowing citizens to participate directly are underway.
Amid the still-unresolved climate crisis, we stand each year before the ‘choice to turn off the lights.’ It is fine if the action is not grand. Through the simple act of turning off a light switch for just one hour, we can all look in the same direction at the same time. In that moment, the city’s lights briefly disappear, but our will fills that space and shines again.
by Editor L