ENVIRONMENTALISTS are urging everyone to turn off their lights for one hour today, Saturday March 25, and help save the planet. 

At 8.30pm tonight, people across the world will be turning their lights off to call attention to climate change and the growing loss of biodiversity. 

Earth Hour, launched by charity WWF and partners in 2007, one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment.

Held every year on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour engages millions of people across the world who switch off their lights to show support for the planet. 

Organisers stress that 2021 is an "unmissable opportunity for change" as key leaders come together for COP26 in Glasgow. 

Last year was a record-breaking year for the movement, which saw activity in 190 countries and territories as well as the #EarthHour tag trending on Twitter in 37 countries. 

It comes as the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by more than a 10th last year, as lockdown saw roads empty and businesses close, official figures suggest.

Provisional figures from the Business Department (Beis) show that overall greenhouse gases fell 8.9 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019 and carbon dioxide, which makes up the lion’s share of emissions, was down 10.7 per cent year-on-year.

The large fall in 2020 was primarily down to a major reduction in the use of road transport and falls in business activity during the nationwide lockdowns to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.