Earth Hour 2020 Worldwide - 29.03.2020, Sputnik International

The campaign is one of the largest environmental initiatives and aims to encourage people to adopt a responsible lifestyle when it comes to using electricity and water in order to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions as well as protect natural resources to ensure their availability for generations to come

This year's Earth Hour, however, has been marred by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why all public events have been cancelled as a precautionary measure. As of Sunday, a total of 681,706 cases of the virus have been registered by John Hopkins University along with nearly 32,000 fatalities.

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Red Square in Moscow after turning off lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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The Kremlin in Kazan, Russia before and after turning off lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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The House of the Government of the Russian Federation in Moscow before and after turning off lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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A combination photo shows the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House before they are plunged into darkness (top) and after going dark (bottom) for the Earth Hour environmental campaign on 28 March 2020

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This combination of pictures shows the landmark Tokyo Tower illuminated (top) and with its lights turned off (bottom) to mark the Earth Hour campaign in Tokyo on 28 March 2020

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This combination of pictures shows part of the skyline of Hong Kong before (top) and after (bottom), with some of its lights turned off to mark the Earth Hour environmental campaign on 28 March 2020

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The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow before and after turning off its lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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This combo of photos shows the “Chain Bridge” in Budapest illuminated by white lights in honour of the efforts of health care staff against the new coronavirus COVID-19 before and then after the lights were switched off to mark the annual Earth Hour event on 28 March 2020.

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Red Square in Moscow after turning off lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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A railway bridge over the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia before and after turning off lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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Hotel “Ukraine” in Moscow before and after turning off its lights in solidarity with the Earth Hour campaign

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