Earth Hour, a flagship global environmental movement of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), is going to be marked digitally this year on March 27 at 8:30 p.m. local time around the globe, WWF announced on Thursday.

WWF said in a media statement that as COVID-19 restrictions continue in most parts of the world, the virtual event will bring together millions of people from around the world to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to address nature loss and climate change.

"With evidence pointing towards a close link between nature's destruction and rising incidences of infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19, Earth Hour 2021 will unite people online to speak up for nature," the statement read.

The statement added that the occurrence of several catastrophic incidents last year – including extreme weather events, devastating wildfires and the COVID-19 outbreak -- highlighted that preventing nature loss is crucial for safeguarding our future.

Started in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment. The most typical celebration of the event is to switch off the lights for an hour so as to draw public attention to the environmental crisis.

To take part in the virtual Earth Hour event this year, WWF said that it encourages people to raise awareness and create the same unmissable sight online, to share as much as possible a "must-watch video" that will be posted on WWF social media pages.

"Our goal is simple: put the spotlight on our planet and make it the most-watched video in the world on March 27 so that as many people as possible hear our message," WWF said on its official website.

(Cover image via CFP.)

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