• EARTH HOUR aims to reach one billion people in 1,000 cities around the world
• 1.539 cities in 80 countries has commited to participate in  EARTH HOUR 2009
• A collaborative action towards sustainable development

Jakarta: This year marks Indonesia’s historic moment to voice its support for the Earth Hour where Jakarta, the capital city, becomes the first Indonesian city to participate in the global campaign. The official launching was done by Jakarta Governor Dr. Ing. H. Fauzi Bowo, who was also inaugurated by WWF-Indonesia as Earth Hour 2009 Ambassador, joining the club of global Earth Hour figures such as Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, King of Sweden, Finland’s President, Mayor of London, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, and more.
”As Jakarta Governor, I am strongly motivated to host this event and very honoured to become Earth Hour 2009 Ambassador. Hopefully, the Earth Hour 2009 will contribute significantly to make Jakarta better, in terms of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation,” said Fauzi.
According to him, the official support is a proof of Jakarta provincial government’s commitment for energy saving and global climate change campaigns. It follows the recent participation in the Climate Leadership Group along with 40 other countries, while Jakarta Governor was also invited by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign the Agreement to Partner on Climate Action di California along with other city leaders from six countries.
To strengthen the campaign, Jakarta’s provincial government has committed to switch off the lamps in its five iconic buildings on Saturday, 28 March 2009, from 20.30 to 21.30 (Jakarta time). The icons are: Hotel Indonesia’s roundabout (Bundaran HI) and its fountain, National Monument (Monas) and its fountain, Jakarta City Hall, as well as statues of Indonesian Youth (Patung Pemuda) and “Arjuna Wiwaha”.
Meanwhile, some government’s institutions and private companies mostly located in Sudirman, Thamrin, and Kuningan area have declared their commitment to Earth Hour and will have their office buildings lights off. They also help spread the information on the event voluntarily to their partners and the public.
Rizal Malik, a member of WWF-Indonesia’s Board of Trustee said, “Earth Hour is a perfect time to raise global community awareness of carbon dioxide emission resulted by fossil-fueled power plant and its contribution to climate change. Earth Hour is also important to remind Indonesian people that our electricity consumption is still concentrated in Java, where some 20% of Indonesia’s electricity consumers are in Jakarta.”
Fitrian Ardiansyah, WWF-Indonesia’s Climate and Energy Program Director emphasized, “Earth Hour’s one day activity is a symbolic action. The most important factor in determining the success of Earth Hour in climate change mitigation efforts is the real change of our lifestyle to become more energy efficient consumers in the long term.” He added, “Jakarta has potentials to be more energy efficient and become the pioneer in Indonesia, mainly in Java. Let’s vote for saving the Earth.”
The Earth Hour initiative, which was started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million supporters, grew into some 50 million supporters from 370 cities in 35 countries in 2008. As of 17 March 2009, some 1,539 cities from 80 countries has signed in and committed to participate in the Earth Hour. It has exceeded this year’s target which are 1 billion people in 1,000 cities around the world.
At 20.30 (local time) on 28 March 2009, the world will see some cities landmarks turn off their lights. The buildings will include Burj Dubai—the world tallest hotel, and some tallest towers in several continents: Canadian National (CN) Tower in Toronto, Moscow’s Federation Tower and Quirinale in Rome. Meanwhile, Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano’s official residence will be dark as well. Lamps in Auckland’s Sky Tower – the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere- will be turned off, followed by those in the Sydney Opera House. In South Africa, the shimmering lights of Cape Town’s Table Mountain will be temporarily off to mark the Earth Hour.
Media Contacts: Fazedah Nasution, Climate and Energy Programme Communication Officer, email: fnasution@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-813 15800396; Israr Ardiansyah, WWF-Indonesia Media Coordinator, email: iardiansyah@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-811 266 973,
Resource Persons: Fitrian Ardiansyah, WWF-Indonesia Climate and Energy Programme Director, email: fardiansyah@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-812 935 5105; Muhamad Suhud, Energy Coordinator, email:msuhud@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-812 181 7973: Indra Sari Wardhani, Energy Researcher, email: iwardhani@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-815 166 2198; Verena Puspawardani, Campaign Coordinator, email: vpuspawardani@wwf.or.id, Mobile: +62-818 897383.
 
Notes to Editors:
ABOUT EARTH HOUR
EARTH HOUR is a WWF global climate change campaign. Individuals, business actors, governments from some countries around the world will switch off their lamps as a declaration of support to climate change mitigation efforts on Saturday, 28 March 2009, from 20.30 to 21.30 (local time).
It is aimed to show that global joint individual action can make the Earth a better place.
Why Jakarta?
Indonesia’s consumption of electricity is still concentrated in Java (77% of national consumption,in 2007), while some 20% of electricity consumers are in Jakarta. On the other hand, some other places in Indonesia have to struggle in obtaining adequate power supply.
PLN data in 2007 showed that electricity consumption of Jakarta and Tangerang residents in 2007 reached 27,939 GWh or 23% of Indonesia’s total electricity consumption. The figure consisted of:
- 34% for households consumption (mostly in Jakarta)
- 30% for industries (in Tangerang)
- 29% for business sector (mostly in Jakarta).
This total electricity sales figure is equal to 24.89 million tonnes of CO2 emission (based on DJLPE 2004 – 2006 data on CO2 emission resulted by electricity production : 0.891 tonnes of CO2/MWh).
1 hour of EARTH HOUR for Jakarta?
Switching off lamps in Jakarta and its surrounding areas for an hour, based on assumption that we can save 10% of electricity consumption per hour, means:
= 300 MW (enough to switch off one power plant which can be used to bring the light to 900 villages)
= reducing Jakarta’s electricity cost up to some Rp 200 million
= reducing CO2 emission to some 284 Tonnes of CO2
= saving more than 284 trees
= producing O2 for more than 568 people.
Visit www.earthhour.org/indonesia.
 
ABOUT WWF-INDONESIA
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.  WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
WWF started working in Indonesia in the early 1960s. In April 1998, WWF-Indonesia Foundation was established as a WWF global network’s independent national organization. WWF-Indonesia Jakarta office leads and coordinates 23 field offices and more than 300 staf. WWF-Indonesia conservation programme takes place in protected areas in 16 Indonesian provinces.
Visit www.wwf.or.id