WWF Marks Earth Hour With Three‑Day Celebration at Pavilion Bukit Jalil

The World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF‑Malaysia) marked Earth Hour 2026 with a large‑scale, three‑day public event at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, reaffirming its call for collective action to address climate change and nature loss.

Held from Friday through Sunday (27-29 March), the celebration culminated in the symbolic Lights‑Off moment on Saturday night at the Piazza, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, where non‑essential lights were switched off from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM in solidarity with the global Earth Hour movement.

Image Credit: WWF

Earth Hour has been WWF’s flagship campaign for the past 20 years, with Malaysia participating since 2009. What began as a one‑hour Lights‑Off initiative has since evolved into a broader platform encouraging environmental awareness, community engagement and long‑term sustainable lifestyles.

First large public celebration since 2019

WWF‑Malaysia said this year’s event marked its first larger‑scale public celebration since 2019, featuring a scavenger hunt, an eco‑friendly weekend bazaar and a lineup of live performances.

WWF‑Malaysia executive director and chief executive officer Sophia Lim said Earth Hour has grown into a powerful global movement over the past two decades.

Image Credit: WWF

“We have come a long way since the first Earth Hour took place in Sydney, Australia, in 2007,” she said in a statement.

“Over the past 20 years, millions of people around the world have united in what has become the biggest hour for Earth. At WWF‑Malaysia, we remain committed to inspiring and empowering individuals to embrace greener, more sustainable lifestyles as we work together to address the environmental challenges we face today.”

This year’s Earth Hour theme, For Nature, For Us. For What’s Next, highlights the importance of both individual and collective action to safeguard the planet for current and future generations.

WWF‑Malaysia cited findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science‑Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which show that Earth has already warmed by about 1.1 degrees Celsius since pre‑industrial times and is on course to exceed the 1.5‑degree Celsius threshold set by the Paris Agreement by 2030.

“These findings underscore the urgent need to limit global warming to prevent catastrophic consequences for people and nature,” the organisation said.

Event highlights

The highlight of Saturday’s programme was the symbolic #BiggestHourforEarth, when the Piazza was plunged into darkness as part of the global Lights‑Off moment.

Image Credit: Rojak Daily

The evening also featured live performances by singer‑songwriter Asyraf Nasir, Sunway Dance Club accompanied by Colour of Sounds, and the Badarsila Gamelan Group. The drummers of Colour of Sounds led the crowd in the Earth Hour Dance for Nature, bringing participants together in a celebratory show of unity.

A global symbol to inspire change

Globally, Earth Hour continues to draw widespread participation, with supporters from more than 118 countries and territories providing close to three million hours of collective action in 2025.

Since its inception, Earth Hour has been best known for its Lights‑Off moment, which has seen iconic landmarks such as the PETRONAS Twin Towers, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House and the Empire State Building switch off non‑essential lighting in support of environmental protection.

Image Credit: The Star

WWF‑Malaysia said the act of switching off lights remains a powerful visual symbol, but stressed that Earth Hour is ultimately about inspiring sustained change beyond a single hour.

“With Earth Hour, WWF‑Malaysia and Malaysians stand together as part of a global movement committed to protecting our planet and all life on Earth,” the organisation said.

Featured Image Credit: WWF