The ministry called on all organizations, individuals, families and businesses to join in the struggle against climate change through practical actions such as turning off lights and unnecessary electrical equipment and appliances during “Earth Hour” from 8.30 to 9.30pm on Saturday, March 31, 2012.
Around 1.8 billion people are expected to join this year’s campaign launched in 135 countries and territories cross the globe.
Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) and the Tan A Dai Thanh group are sponsoring the campaign in Vietnam this year. The event to be held at August Revolution Square in Hanoi on March 31 will be broadcast live on VTV1.
Miss Friendly Duong Thuy Linh and singers Thanh Lam and Tung Duong will be the ambassadors for this year’s campaign.
Danish Ambassador to Vietnam John Nielsen, who is also the Earth Hour ambassador, said Denmark is helping Vietnam develop an environmentally-friendly energy industry capable of maintaining strong socio-economic growth. It also supports Vietnam’s National Strategic Program on Energy Saving and its National Target Program to Respond to Climate Change.
According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Vietnam is one of the five countries in the world that will be most seriously affected by climate change. If the sea level rises by one metre, Vietnam will lose 5 percent of its land, 7 percent of its agricultural production output and 10 percent of its GDP.
Experts say that the electricity sector will save US$50 million if 3-5 percent of electric power is saved each year.
Vietnam saved 400,000 kilowatt hours of electricity worth VND500 million during last year’s Earth Hour and expects to increase that figure by 20 percent this year.
(VietNamNet/VOV)