Saudi citizens and expatriates must realize the negative effects of excessive energy consumption, according to a Canadian environmental activist at King Saud University (KSU).

 

Mirza Baig made the statement during “Earth Hour,” a global event hosted by the World Wildlife Fund.

 

The event falls on March 29 every year, where millions of people in over 200 nations switch off their lights for an hour to raise awareness on the importance of energy consumption.

 

“The Kingdom’s residents tend to overuse energy since electricity prices are low,” he said. “Yet most don’t realize that overconsumption bears with it another price.”

 

“Earth Hour Tour aims at reducing energy use as a key step to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Baig. “Excessive use of energy results in the emission of greenhouse gases, which in turn causes global warming.”

 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming will disrupt food supplies, slow world economic growth and may already be causing irreversible damage to nature.

 

KSA first joined the “Earth Hour” initiative in 2010.

 

It has supported the global initiative in state-owned institutions such as King Saud University, King Faisal University and Tabuk University.

 

The country’s two largest skyscrapers, Al-Faisaliah and the Kingdom Towers, and famous hotels such as the Jeddah Rosewood, Sheraton and Hilton, in addition to the medical sector, IT companies, retail stores such IKEA and telecom carriers, also switched off their lights and took part in the global initiative.

 

Some 200 countries have agreed to limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius above the global temperature pre-industrial era, mainly by cutting emissions from burning fossil fuels such coal, oil and gas.