As Britain prepares for Earth Hour on Saturday evening, green campaigners are calling on the Government to significantly strengthen its efforts to safeguard the nation’s natural environment. In a bid to galvanise public support and pressure political leaders into decisive action, environmentalists are highlighting both recent poll findings and the iconic gesture of landmarks across the globe—including several in the UK—turning off their lights for one hour.
For Earth Hour 2025, renowned sites such as Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Lights, the London Eye and many others will plunge into darkness from 8.30pm, symbolising a global stand against climate change and environmental degradation. The annual initiative, led by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has become a powerful moment for reflection on the state of our planet and an urgent call for improved environmental policies.
This year’s campaign comes on the back of findings from WWF’s latest poll, conducted by More in Common, which surveyed 2,346 people across Britain. The results indicate that a slim majority – 52% – of Britons believe that the Government is not doing enough to protect the environment. Furthermore, 48% of respondents expressed a desire for more active support from ministers to help reduce their environmental impact, with support for stronger measures even more pronounced among young people; an impressive 65% of 18 to 24-year-olds indicated that they would welcome additional ministerial action to tackle environmental challenges.
The poll’s results underline a growing public impatience with the pace of environmental policy and the perceived inadequacies of current efforts. Only 24% of those surveyed feel that the Government is effectively safeguarding nature, a statistic that has added considerable momentum to calls for a radical change in policy direction.
In response to these concerns, WWF is urging the Government to table legislation for a Living Planet Act in the UK. The proposed law would establish legally binding targets aimed at halting the destruction of nature and protecting biodiversity. Proponents argue that such an Act would provide a robust legal framework to accelerate action on environmental issues, while holding both the Government and businesses accountable for their impact on the natural world.
Tanya Steele, WWF chief executive, remarked: “The public clearly care deeply about nature and the environment and are saying they want to see more action from the Government. People are doing their bit, and they want to see political leaders follow suit to look after our natural world. We’re calling on ministers to bring forward a new law – a Living Planet Act – to make sure the needs of people, nature and climate are balanced, now and for future generations.” Steele’s comments come as part of a broader campaign to mobilise both public and political support for more comprehensive and effective environmental protections.
More Read
Alongside the iconic British landmarks, several other UK sites will also go dark during Earth Hour, including Windsor Castle, Tate Modern, Tate St Ives, The Liver Building, Stirling Castle, Arbroath Abbey and Linlithgow Palace. This symbolic gesture is designed not only to highlight the beauty of these historic sites but also to serve as a stark reminder of what is at stake if decisive action is not taken.
A spokesperson from Defra responded to the growing clamor for stronger environmental measures: “After years of failure, nature across Britain is suffering. We are losing our precious species, our rivers are awash with pollution, and many of our iconic landscapes are in a state of deep decline. This cannot continue.” The spokesperson went on to outline the Government’s current efforts under its Plan for Change, which includes investing £400 million in tree planting and peatland restoration, delivering the Water Bill to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas, and establishing a Nature Restoration Fund to drive large-scale environmental improvements across communities.
As Earth Hour approaches, campaigners remain hopeful that the public display of solidarity – coupled with mounting poll numbers demanding change – will press the Government into enacting a Living Planet Act. With the stakes higher than ever, the coming hour of darkness might just herald a brighter, greener future for Britain.
