50 million people around the planet took part in Earth Hour 2008 by switching off their lights for an hour on 29 March 2008 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, recognizing the contribution individuals can make in tackling climate change.

A year earlier, 2.2 million people in Sydney had taken part in the first first Earth Hour, organized by Australian publishers Fairfax Media and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

29 cities took part in the 2008 event as official flagship cities and many more cities, listed below, supported it on all continents.

The 2008 event was bigger than the organizers had expected. Andy Ridley, Earth Hour executive director said:

"We initially set a target of having 10 cities involved if possible. So, we were more than pleasantly surprised when they kept signing up."

Nasa Composite Image of Extent of Artificial Light during Night Time


The principal of Earth Hour is that small actions taken by a large number of individuals can have a large impact on greenhouse gas emissions. If these actions can be backed by larger scale government actions, the impact could be tremendous.

For example, standby power on televisions, microwave ovens and the like causes 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions according to the UK Government's chief scientific adviser Sir David King.

Speaking in Sydney, Sir David said:

"We have become so prolific in our use of energy that it is going to be relatively easy for us to reduce energy usage, save money and reduce emissions."

"People talk about what tackling climate change would do to your GDP growth but if you grab all of the low-hanging fruit that is available on energy efficiency you are going to manage that at no cost. In fact, it is a cost saving."

Studies carried out by Earth Hour organizers WWF show energy efficiency represents between 35 and 40 percent of the solution. The studies show that improving the levels of insulation in houses is by far the cheapest way to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Even Google joined in the 2008 event, with its searchpages going dark on day Earth Hour day. Google search in the Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ireland. the UK and the USA, adopted a black background and carried the slogan: "We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn - Earth Hour."

Earth Hour 2008 Flagship Cities

Oceania
Adelaide, Australia
Brisbane, Australia
Canberra, Australia
Christchurch, New Zealand
Darwin, Australia
Hobart, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Perth, Australia
Suva, Fiji
Sydney, Australia


Asia
Bangkok, Thailand
Manila, Philippines
New Delhi, India
Tel Aviv, Israel


Europe
Aalborg, Denmark
Arhus, Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark
Dublin, Ireland
Odense, Denmark


North America
Atlanta, U.S.
Chicago, U.S.
Montreal, Canada
Ottawa, Canada
Phoenix, U.S.
San Francisco, U.S.
Toronto, Canada
Vancouver, Canada


South America
Bogota, Colombia
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Earth Hour 2008 Supporting Cities

Oceania
Auckland, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
Christchurch, New Zealand
Taupo, New Zealand
Dunedin, New Zealand
Rotorua, New Zealand
Tauranga, New Zealand
Nelson, New Zealand
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Whangarei, New Zealand
Papeete, Tahiti


Asia
Ahmedabad, India
Bangalore, India
Beirut, Lebanon
Chandigarh, India
Hyderabad, India
Dubai, UAE
Hangzhou, China
Hefei, China
Hong Kong, China
Jakarta, Indonesia
Karachi, Pakistan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
George Town, Malaysia
Shah Alam, Malaysia
Kuwait City, Kuwait
Lahore, Pakistan
Manila City, Philippines
Angeles City, Philippines
Bacolod City, Philippines
Baguio City, Philippines
Caloocan City, Philippines
Cebu City, Philippines
Dagupan City, Philippines
Las Pinas City, Philippines
Lucena City, Philippines
Makati City, Philippines
Malabon City, Philippines
Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Marikina City, Philippines
Marikina City, Philippines
Navotas City, Philippines
Paranaque City, Philippines
Pasay City, Philippines
Pasig City, Philippines
Pateros City, Philippines
Quezon City, Philippines
San Juan City, Philippines
Taguig City, Philippines
Valenzuela City, Philippines
Zamboanga City, Philippines
Bohol, Philippines
Camarines Sur, Philippines
Cavite, Philippines
Cebu, Philippines
Davao, Philippines
Ilocos, Philippines
Iloilo, Philippines
Laguna, Philippines
Mindoro, Philippines
Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Palawan, Philippines
Pampanga, Philippines
Pangasinan, Philippines
Quezon, Philippines
Rizal, Philippines
Zamboanga, Philippines
Pune, India
New Delhi, India
Pyongyang, North Korea
Seoul, South Korea
Shanghai, China
Shenzhen, China
Macau, China
Tianjin, China
Singapore, Singapore
Kfar Sava, Israel
Chiangmai, Thailand


Africa
Cape Town, South Africa
Lusaka, Zambia
Pretoria, South Africa


Europe
Aegina, Greece
Nicosia, Cyprus
Baia Mare, Romania
Birmingham, UK
Brighton, UK
Budapest, Hungary
Canterbury, UK
Cardiff, UK
Essex, UK
Exeter, UK
Geneva, Switzerland
London, UK
Limerick, Ireland
Galway, Ireland
Lugoj, Romania
Chisinau, Moldova
Orebro, Sweden
Paris, France
Pecs, Hungary
Ponta Delgada, Azores
San Giljan, Malta
Poznan, Poland
Rome, Italy
Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania
Sofia, Bulgaria
Southampton, UK
Swansea, UK
Timisoara, Romania
Trondheim, Norway
Venice, Italy
Warsaw, Poland
Worcester, UK


North America
Province of Alberta, Canada
Arlington, Virginia, United States
Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
Bradley Beach, United States
Brisbane, United States
Province of British Columbia, Canada
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Columbia, United States
Concord, United States
Denver, Colorado, United States
Falmouth, United States
Glendale, Arizona, United States
Hamilton, Bermuda
Harmony, United States
Highland Park, Illinois, United States
Homer Glen, Illinois, United States
Honolulu, United States
Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
La Grange, Texas, United States
Province of Manitoba, Canada
Martha's Vineyard, United States
Matawan, United States
Mexico City, Mexico
Miami, Florida, United States
Millbrae, California
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Montgomery, Maryland, United States
Province of New Brunswick, Canada
Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Norman, Oklahoma, United States
Northampton, United States
Northwest Territories, Canada
Province of Nova Scotia, Canada
Territory of Nunavut, Canada
Ocean City, New Jersey, United States
Province of Ontario, Canada
Opelika, Alabama, United States
Province of Prince Edward Island, Canada
Province of Quebec, Canada
Roswell, United States
San Clemente, California, United States
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Province of Saskatchewan, Canada
Territory of Yukon, Canada


South America
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Belize City, Belize
Curitiba, Brazil
Caracas, Venezuela
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Montevideo, Uruguay
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Santiago, Chile
Quito, Ecuador