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IIRR Supports Earth Hour 2010
(SILANG, Cavite, Philippines - March 26, 2010) - The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), an international non-profit organization that has been working with rural communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America for over fifty years, supports the call of Earth Hour 2010 for a global action to respond to the climate crisis.
Earth Hour is a global movement launched in 2008 in order to contribute in raising consciousness on the effects of climate change and to push for global action symbolized by the global switch off of electric lights for one hour.
Now in its third year in the Philippines, Earth Hour aims to inspire 15 million Filipinos in 1,000 towns, cities and municipalities to switch off and join in the revelry—in an environmentally-conscious manner. Many of the nation’s most iconic landmarks are expected to dim their lights in the largest call for action on climate change. Cities from around the world, from Europe to Africa, are expected to participate.
IIRR believes that the one hour global “switch off” action of Earth Hour is a significant move in terms of contributing to the mitigation of green house gas emissions to 350 parts per million. IIRR also believes that world leaders must reach a consensus of keeping global warming below the widely agreed 2º C high-risk level.
The Regional Center for Asia of IIRR, based in Silang, Cavite, has pledged to promote energy efficiency on its campus. IIRR also sits actively in the Civil Society Organization-Working Group (CSO-WG) on Climate Change, a loose network of multiple CSOs in the Philippines that actively engage the Philippine Climate Change Commission on climate change. IIRR is a member of the Technical Working Group on Climate Change Adaptation of the CSO-WG.
IIRR promotes Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) as a climate change adaptation strategy which places the communities at the center of reducing their disaster risks brought about by various natural hazards that are exacerbated by global climate change.
CMDRR promotes the concept that disasters are often localized, happening in communities wherein the people themselves are the most affected and yet also the first responders. Thus, climate adaptation must happen locally at the community. Significantly, IIRR believes that communities are survivors rather than victims.
The staff and personnel of the Regional Center for Asia of IIRR will join the global switch off on March 27, 2010 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Philippine time) in solidarity of Earth Hour 2010.
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