Earth Hour 2026: how to get involved

Earth Hour is a global movement where people across the world switch off non-essential lights for 60 minutes and do something positive for the planet. It gives governments and decision makers around the world an unmissable reminder that we need action to protect our planet.

The first Earth Hour was in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then, over 190 countries have taken part. 2025 saw the biggest Earth Hour yet, with supporters giving nearly 3 million hours of positive action.

Millions of people across the UK take part each year, joining communities around the world. 2026 marks the 20^th anniversary of what Earth Hour calls ‘the biggest hour for Earth’.

Earth Hour 2026 is on Saturday, 28 March at 8.30pm (local time). It lasts until 9.30pm.

Add the event to your calendar so you don’t miss out:

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Anyone can take part in Earth Hour 2026 and you don’t need to sign up or register. All you need to do is switch off any non-essential lights for 60 minutes.

Earth Hour isn’t designed to save reduce energy use as it’s a symbolic movement. But switching off can help you build good habits. In fact, you could save around £8 a year in Great Britain (GB) and £9 in Northern Ireland (NI) by switching lights off when you leave the room.

You don’t have to sit in the dark for an hour. Put the time to good use with one of these activities:

• Try stargazing
• Stay offline
• Take part in the conversation
• Have a candlelit dinner
• Immerse yourself in some green space

Take this opportunity to think about how you can lower your electricity use after Earth Hour is over.

For example, replacing all the bulbs in your home with LED bulbs can cut emissions by up to 35kg in GB and 25kg in NI. Find out more about energy-efficient lighting.

While you’re at it, it would be a good time to unplug all the devices that are on standby. This is one of the easiest ways to lower your electricity bills, saving you £45 in GB and £55 in NI a year. The darkness of Earth Hour should help you spot those telltale red standby lights.

If you want even more tips, here are 10 quick ways you can save energy.

As well as encouraging people to switch off their lights, Earth Hour has helped spark positive environmental action around the world, including:

• Establishing a 2,700-hectare protected forest in Uganda.
• Supporting a Senate bill for 3.4 million hectares of protected marine area in Argentina.
• Installing solar-powered lights in three villages without electricity in India.
• Launching education programmes for schools in Thailand and Taiwan.
• Recognising the support of 250,000 people in Russia for better protection of its seas and forests.
• Building public support in Paraguay to extend a logging moratorium, helping reduce deforestation.

Find out more about Earth Hour’s achievements.

If you want to keep up with the momentum, Earth Day is a few weeks later on 22 April. For more information, visit the Earth Day website.

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