BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Minister for Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela has launched the 2024 Earth Hour Initiative.
Earth Hour will be done on March 23 this year, after a series of activities expected to take place before. The Minister launched this initiative today at Sibane Sami Hotel in Ezulwini. The earth hour is a global initiative to save energy and the environment and to raise a voice towards mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The theme of this year’s event focuses on assessing progress towards achieving net-zero emissions, a crucial step in combating climate change.
The Minister thanked Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) for committing itself to observing the Earth Hour. “I extend my heartfelt appreciation to EEC and all esteemed Earth Hour partners gathered here today for your unwavering dedication to this initiative, which serves as a beacon of hope in our quest for a sustainable future. We urge more partners to join us in this vital endeavor, to protect nature, our life support system, which is in danger,” Prince Lonkhokhela said.
He said the recent storms around the country that caused damage to property were a big indicator that nations were very vulnerable to climate change. These events followed the windstorms in August 2023, according to the Minister. The windstorms, the Minister said, were an uncommon phenomenon. He viewed this experience as a lesson to everyone that it was important to protect the environment as well as to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Prince Lonkhokhela stated that Eswatini’s pledge at Cop 28 underscored the country’s commitment to increasing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. Of note is that the local power generation is 100 percent renewable, according to the Minister.
He urged the citizens of Eswatini to join the country during the Earth Hour on March 23, 2024. “Let us demonstrate our commitment by turning off non-essential lights and appliances. Remember, our dedication to the environment extends beyond the hour- it is a lifelong commitment,” the Minister said.
Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The event is held annually, encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30pm, usually on the last Saturday of March, as a symbol of commitment to the planet. It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. EEC has been observing Earth Hour for the past 12 years.
