Major cities and world landmarks plunged into darkness on Saturday 27 March 2010 between 8.30pm and 9.30pm as a symbolic energy-saving exercise unfolded across the globe calling for action to avert potentially devastating climate change.

Scientists have warned that global warming caused by burning fossil fuels on a massive scale could devastate the planet, hitting the poorest countries hardest with floods, droughts, and disease.

In Malta, we have had some recent climate records ourselves. The winter of 2006/7 was the warmest since the Malta Meteorological Office started keeping records in 1922. June 2007 was the wettest on record. This latest winter has also been unusually mild and dry.

Earth Hour is an annual international event started by the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) in 2007 which engages businesses and households to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour.

HSBC supported this event by switching off 91.5kWh of lighting and air-conditioning, saving 80 kg of greenhouse gas emissions.

Façade lighting and air-conditioning at shift operations were switched off for one hour. Staff were also encouraged to participate from their homes, and to switch off non-essential lighting and other electrical appliances such as the TV, PC, etc.

“Climate change poses a serious threat to our planet. Earth Hour is a call for action to every individual, every business, and every community to show leadership and be responsible for our future,” said Sally Robson, HSBC’s Chief Technology and Services Officer.