North East Herts MP Sir Oliver Heald, has pledged to do their bit to protect and restore nature ahead of WWF’s Earth Hour, one of the largest events to protect the planet. They joined WWF’s Earth Hour photoshoot in Parliament to discuss the actions we need to see to help bring the UK – and the world – back to life.

On Saturday 23 March at 8.30pm the world will unite in support of people and the planet. Iconic UK landmarks, including the London Eye, Liverpool’s Liver Building, and Buckingham Palace, will be turning off their lights in a show of solidarity. But its impact has gone far beyond just turning off lights for one hour. Earth Hour is a time to switch off from distractions and focus on doing something – anything – positive for our planet.  

Here in the UK, we are already one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet. We are the most nature-depleted country in the G7 and the G20. A further quarter of UK mammals are now at risk of extinction. From puffins to bluebells, bumblebees and mountain hares, UK wildlife is feeling the heat and struggling to adapt. 

Globally, a broken food system is driving ill health, poorly rewarding farmers, and is responsible for one third of greenhouse gas emissions - and the majority of biodiversity loss and land degradation. If they were a country, the emissions financed from the City of London alone would be the 9th largest emitter in the world. WWF is calling on politicians to show their commitment to tackling what they’re calling the ‘triple challenge’ - ensuring how we use our land and seas supports our climate, nature, and food security.

We are in the fight of our lives to fix our broken food and finance systems for people and the planet - a race to bring our world back to life.

If action is taken, by the end of this decade, greenhouse gas emissions could be halved, nature and wildlife could be recovering all around us, and habitats could be beginning to thrive again. The simple act of turning off the lights can influence positive changes through collective, global action whilst giving hope for the future.

Commenting, Sir Oliver said:  “I have campaigned with WWF on Chalk stream health since 2010 and the Rivers on the Edge Campaign. Further campaigns have highlighted the problem of soil erosion into streams and innovative solutions to chalk stream health.”