From Sydney, Australia...<br/> <br />...To Beijing's Olympic Bird's Nest and Water Cube....<br/> <br />...To Kuala Lumpur's giant Twin Towers.<br/> <br />Landmarks around the globe switched off their dazzling lights to mark Earth Hour.<br/> <br />The annual event organised by the World Wildlife Fund is intended to focus attention on the need for action on climate change.<br/> <br />And the Fund says this year the number of nations taking part has smashed previous records.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: WILLIAM YU, WWF-HONG KONG'S HEAD OF CLIMATE PROGRAMME, SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"We have 150 countries, together with 6, 400 cities, participating in Earth Hour."<br/> <br />The big turn-off spread across Europe during the course of Saturday (March 31).<br/> <br />France hit the off-switch on the Eiffel Tower for five minutes.<br/> <br />In Athens the Parthenon was plunged into darkness.<br/> <br />On to the Middle East where the world's tallest tower, Dubai's Burj Khalifa followed suit.<br/> <br />As the event moved on to the United States and onwards the Empire State building did its bit.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: LUCIAN CARIA SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"Too much light in New York, someone had to do something."<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: NATALIE GRANDISON, NEW YORK RESIDENT, SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"I think it's a good symbolic reference for sure."<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: HEIDI BLAIR, FROM SALT LAKE CITY, SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"I don't think it's a good cause, no. I have my own opinions of global warming."<br/> <br />Earth Hour started in 2007.<br/> <br />Since that time it's grown from a one-city initiative to a global movement across all seven continents.<br/> <br />Paul Chapman, Reuters
