Earth Hour Festival 2025: Driving Sustainability and Climate Action Forward

The Earth Hour Festival 2025, organised by WWF-India, concluded on a high note, bringing together art, music, and community voices to drive awareness on sustainability, climate action, and water conservation.

Timed with World Water Day, this year’s Earth Hour emphasised the theme #BeWaterWise. As part of the global movement, major landmarks across Delhi, including India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Red Fort, and Qutub Minar, switched off their lights for an hour, creating a striking visual symbol of solidarity for environmental action. The festival underscored the interconnection between water security, energy transition, and climate resilience, calling for stronger community-led conservation efforts.

At the Earth Hour Festival 2025, musician Shantanu Moitra, WWF-India’s Hope & Harmony Ambassador, took the stage with a mesmerising musical storytelling performance. He was joined by Nyishi singer-songwriter Taba Chake, whose performance added depth to the evening’s theme of environmental consciousness. Renowned artist Gopal Namjoshi presented his Ganges river dolphin sculpture, crafted from recycled scrap metal, while Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik showcased a stunning sand art installation on Puri Beach, amplifying the message of water conservation.

A panel discussion featuring Tarana Sawhney (CII Task Force for Art & Culture), Ratish Nanda (Aga Khan Trust for Culture India), and historian Vikramjit Singh Rooprai explored the historical and architectural importance of water conservation.

WWF-India’s Secretary-General and CEO, Ravi Singh, emphasised the festival’s role in driving awareness, saying, "Earth Hour is more than just a symbolic lights-out event. It is a call to action for water conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable living. This year, we were proud to showcase the work of our community partners and inspire action through art, architecture, and music."

With climate change intensifying water scarcity across India, events like Earth Hour serve as critical reminders of the need for sustainable resource management. The movement aligns with India’s broader sustainability goals, including its transition to renewable energy. Reducing dependence on coal-fired power plants, which consume vast amounts of water, is key to achieving India’s target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power by 2030. By shifting towards solar, wind, and hydro energy, India can cut both carbon emissions and industrial water use, contributing to a more climate-resilient future.

The message of Earth Hour 2025 remains clear that sustainability and climate action are shared responsibilities. From conserving water to embracing clean energy, collective action is crucial to safeguarding the planet for future generations.