Vietnam on Thursday officially launched the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2010 campaign in the country, seeking to expand participation in what is touted as the world’s largest awareness movement on climate change.

There will be a “spectacular” event in HCMC, hosted and attended by celebrities and high-profile Earth Hour Ambassadors as well as a fashion show of Earth Hour T-shirt designs.

All Vietnamese citizens and businesses are being urged to participate by turning out lights and shutting off appliances for one hour from 8:30 p.m. on March 27, the organizers said.

The Mega City Mega Stress Report and Mekong Delta Climate Change Report of 2009 shows how vulnerable Vietnam has become to changes brought by global warming.

“Extreme weather events are occurring more often, rivers and flood plains are drying up and coasts are being eroded,” the release noted.

“Because Vietnam is especially vulnerable, it is ever more important the country has a loud and powerful voice on the global front in the fight against climate change, and contribute to international community effort in keeping the global temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius,” said Tran Minh Hien, director for WWF Vietnam.

“We need to stand up to this threat.”

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the national power utility, will take part in many activities as an official partner of Earth Hour 2010.

WWF says Earth Hour 2010 is more than about turning out the lights for an hour. It is to raise awareness on climate change by engaging people in the symbolic action.

High-profile Earth Hour Ambassadors will visit schools bringing the Earth Hour message and competitions on climate change topics will be organized.

Earth Hour started in Sydney in 2007 and has become a global movement in the last two years. In 2009, the campaign was joined by around one billion people from 4,013 cities in 88 countries.

In Vietnam, Earth Hour 2009 was held for the first time in six provinces and localities - Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Hoi An, Hue city and Khanh Hoa City - gathering hundreds of individuals, businessmen and organizations.

Source: Thanh Nien