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Sifelani Tsiko
Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor
Zimbabweans should unite with millions around the world to show their commitment to the planet and all actions to reduce biodiversity loss and climate change, Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality industry, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu says.

In a message to mark Earth Hour 2021 on Sunday, Minister Ndlovu said it was important for all Zimbabweans to speak up for nature and cast a light on biodiversity loss and climate change.

“Earth Hour is important to my Ministry and to Zimbabwe as a whole as it provides more ways to raise awareness about the challenges our environment faces and highlight the different ways we can all make a contribution,” he said.

“It is important that every Zimbabwean appreciates the importance of our natural resources to their livelihoods and therefore collectively protect them.”

Earth Hour is an important opportunity for civil society organisations, individuals, businesses and environmentalists to call on world leaders for setting nature on a path to recovery by 2030.

Said WWF Zimbabwe country director, Dr Enos Shumba: “This year world leaders will be making very important decisions about the planet. The decisions they make will affect us for a long to come. We should be able to speak out and raise issues about our nature so that these are taken into account when world leaders discuss.

“For Zimbabwe, most indicators in terms of nature are on the downward spiral. This year’s theme, ‘Speak Up for Nature’ is critical for Zimbabwe as we need to talk about ways to save our nature. We realise that nature and people are intricately linked in terms of their survival. It is therefore important to raise awareness amongst ourselves to ensure Zimbabwe preserves its biodiversity.”

In the past decade, Earth Hour has inspired global initiatives for the protection of nature, climate, and the environment, helping drive awareness, action and policy change.

Earth Hour is WWF’s flagship global environmental movement.

Started in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world’s largest grassroots movements for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organisations in more than 180 countries and territories to take tangible environmental action for over a decade.

It aims to create an unstoppable movement for nature.

The movement recognises the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges and harnesses the collective power of its millions of supporters to drive change.