Big switch to Earth Hour

Twenty-nine councils in New Zealand have confirmed they will switch off the lights for Earth Hour next year to support action on climate change, including all councils in the Auckland region and others in the Waikato, Taupo and Gisborne.

This year, only Christchurch joined the event, in which 50 million people around the world turned off lights and appliances for an hour. Earth Hour 2009 will start at 8.30pm on March 28.