25 March 2010
DFID is urging its staff and supporters to join up to one billion people across the globe to join the climate change event, Earth Hour 2010, on Saturday.
Between 8.30 and 9.30pm, DFID will switch off the lights in its offices in London and Glasgow, synchronised with international events in thousands of cities in support of climate change action.
Earth Hour started in Sydney in 2007 as a way of individuals joining together to show support for action on climate change.
Last year’s event saw hundreds of millions of people switch off lights in more than 88 countries
This year, Earth Hour organisers WWF hope to bring more than one billion together for the world’s largest communal call to action on greener energy.
More on Earth Hour 2010
How women in a remote Indian village brought sunlight to their lives
The challenge
Global CO2 emissions have risen by 2.7 per cent per annum in the last century and 3.3 per cent per year on average over the last five years. But 1.6 billion people in developing countries still have no access to modern energy - people who are deprived of services that we take for granted.
Inadequate electricity supply stunts economic growth in many developing countries, especially in Africa.
Modern energy supplies are essential if such countries are to improve basic services, grow their economies and reduce poverty.
The global demand for energy is estimated to rise sharply by 45% between 2006 and 2030. Developing countries will account for 90% of that.
Making the carbon market work for developing countries
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, would be the primary sources but are incompatible with the 50% cut in global emissions required by 2050 to avoid a global temperature increase of more than 2 degrees Celsius.
Investing in energy is vital for developing countries but they need help to replace traditional carbon-intensive technologies used in the developed world with low carbon alternatives.
North African solar plants to cut carbon emissions
What DFID is doing
DFID is working on a number of projects to promote and develop low carbon technologies in developing countries, including:
- Pilots for climate technology innovation centres in at least three countries to provide a national focal point for green energy, including low carbon and climate resilient technologies to create low-carbon jobs and businesses.
- Exploring the use of ‘advance market commitments’ to stimulate demand for renewable energy and other low carbon technologies in developing countries.
- Encouraging multilateral development banks (MDBs) to adopt more challenging targets on clean energy.
