Lights out: Cities worldwide mark the 10th annual Earth Hour

Cities around the world turned out the lights Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.

As night came on, the lights went out in cities from South Korea to the United States in what the World Wildlife Fund describes as a moment of solidarity for climate action. The group sponsors the event and says people in 178 countries and territories had planned to participate.


Lights went out for the hourlong event — from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time — in Beijing, Moscow, Beirut, Cairo, Athens, Rome, and Paris. The lights atop the Empire State Building in New York were dimmed, and some billboards in Times Square also went dark.

In Seoul, the glass-covered City Hall was among several public buildings where officials switched off the lights inside and out. Lights illuminating landmarks such as the massive COEX shopping mall, the city's main railway station and several bridges on the Han River were all either turned off or dimmed.

In Beijing, Chinese actress Li Bingbing showed up at the iconic Temple of Confucius, which was shut dark for an hour while municipal government officials announced that the city's energy conservation slogan would be "Consume less, consume wisely."

The Taipei 101 skyscraper was among the buildings to go dark in Taiwan's capital.

Philippine officials in metropolitan Manila led hundreds of environmental activists, students and movie and TV celebrities in switching off lights at the Quezon Memorial Circle in suburban Quezon city. Amid the darkness, some participants pedaled bamboo bikes attached to small energy generators to power LED lights and illuminate a giant Philippine map to symbolize the country's yearning to shift to renewable energy sources, organizers said.

The first Earth Hour event was held on March 31, 2007, when the WWF conservation group inspired people in Sydney to turn out the lights for an hour. Since then, the WWF-organized event has expanded to thousands of cities and towns around the world and has been held every March. 

(AP)  

This combo photo shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper with its lights on and off to mark Earth Hour in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Cities around Asia were turning out the lights Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                                     

This combo photo shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper with its lights on and off to mark Earth Hour in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Cities around Asia were turning out the lights Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                                       

This combination photo shows the Hyllie water tower lit, left, and with the lights turned off to mark Earth Hour in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Cities around the world were turning out the lights Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                           

In this two-picture combo, the Trevi fountain is seen at left with its light on, and at right with its lights off, on the occasion of the 10th annual Earth Hour, in Rome, Saturday, March 19, 2016. In several Italian cities officials switched off lights normally illuminating major monuments in a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                                

The Palazzo Vecchio is seen with its lights on, on the occasion of the 10th annual Earth Hour, in Florence, Italy, Saturday, March 19, 2016. In several Italian cities officials switched off lights normally illuminating major monuments in a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                               

The Palazzo Vecchio is seen with its lights switched off on the occasion of the 10th annual Earth Hour, in Florence, Italy, Saturday, March 19, 2016. In several Italian cities officials switched off lights normally illuminating major monuments in a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                               

The Trevi fountain is seen with its lights switched on, on the occasion of the 10th annual Earth Hour, in Rome, Saturday, March 19, 2016. In several Italian cities officials switched off lights normally illuminating major monuments in a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                                     

The Trevi fountain is seen with its lights switched off, on the occasion of the 10th annual Earth Hour, in Rome, Saturday, March 19, 2016. In several Italian cities officials switched off lights normally illuminating major monuments in a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                                            

People holding candles mark Earth Hour after the lights are switched off in front of St. Basil Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 19, 2016. The participants said they also used the event to pay tributes to the victims of the Dubai plane crash in southern Russia that killed all 62 people aboard on Saturday.                                 

This picture taken after lighting is switched on to mark Earth Hour, shows the Kremlin, left, and st. Basil Cathedral, right, on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 19, 2016. The participants said they also used the event to pay tributes to the victims of the Dubai plane crash in southern Russia that killed all 62 people aboard on Saturday.                                         

This two photo combination picture shows after and before lighting is switched off to mark Earth Hour, with the Kremlin, left, and st. Basil Cathedral, right, on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, March 19, 2016. The participants said they also used the event to pay tributes to the victims of the Dubai plane crash in southern Russia that killed all 62 people aboard on Saturday.                                 

This combination photo shows the Eiffel Tower before and after its lights were turned off to mark Earth Hour in Paris, France, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Cities around the world were turning out the lights Saturday evening to mark the 10th annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.                            

The temple of the Parthenon is pictured with its lighting switched on before the Earth Hour in Athens on Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                                   

The temple of the Parthenon is pictured with its lighting switched off during the Earth Hour in Athens on Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                            

In this two photo combination picture, the temple of the Parthenon is pictured before and after having its lighting switched off to mark the Earth Hour in Athens on Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                                                    

The great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the Citadel and the great Pyramids, in rear left, are in darkness after having the main lighting switched off to mark Earth Hour, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                        

The great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the Citadel and the great Pyramids, in rear left, are illuminated before having the light switched off to mark Earth Hour, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                        

In this two photo combination picture, the government headquarters is shown before and after having its lighting switched off to mark Earth Hour in Beirut on Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.                                     

The government headquarters is illuminated before having the lighting switched off to mark Earth Hour, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, March 19, 2016. Individuals, businesses, cities, and landmarks around the world are switching off their lights for one hour on Saturday to focus attention on climate change.

Lights atop New York's Empire State Building, center, are dimmed on Saturday evening, March 19, 2016, as cities around the world marked the annual Earth Hour, a global movement dedicated to protecting the planet and highlighting the effects of climate change.