Parliament turns off the lights for Earth Hour 2023

This will be the 14th consecutive year that Parliament has taken part in Earth Hour. This is supported by the Speakers of both Houses, as a demonstration of Parliament’s longstanding commitment to improving sustainability across the estate and beyond.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, said: 'We in Parliament take environment stewardship extremely seriously, and our people and buildings play a key part in that, which is why we are supporting Earth Hour by switching off our lights on 25 March. 

'For example, we are modernising many of our boilers across the estate, including those supplying the Palace and Portcullis House with heating and hot water.  Air source heat pumps are already fitted in some offices - and we are looking at innovative ways to improve our energy efficiency, reducing our carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels, such as extending our use of borehole water to cool and heat.'

The Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, said: ‘The Palace of Westminster has thousands of lights. I hope that by switching all non-essential lights off for Earth Hour, we can help raise awareness of the need to reduce energy consumption to tackle climate change.

‘We are always looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of Parliament. One building on the Estate, Millbank House, already has thermal solar panels which are used to pre-heat hot water. And in the renovation of the Elizabeth Tower, old-fashioned lights were replaced with new-style LED bulbs, matching the energy-efficient systems elsewhere in the Palace.

‘We are currently in the process of drawing up a plan to further improve our environmental sustainability in the years to 2050.’

Last year’s Earth Hour resulted in nearly a 5% reduction in electrical consumption for the Palace of Westminster.    

What exactly will happen?

All non-essential internal and external lighting will be switched off at the Houses of Parliament between 20:30 and 21:30 on Saturday 25 March. Floodlights on the Palace and Portcullis House and the lights on the Elizabeth Tower clock faces will be switched off.

Time change

Parliament’s clock mechanics will be changing over the time on the clock on Elizabeth Tower and undertaking routine maintenance during Earth Hour. They will use the time when the light on the clock is turned off to complete the task.

Notes to Editors

Parliament is in the process of setting ambitious targets for a new campaign to reduce its environmental sustainability impact through to 2050, having already made considerable progress in its main environmental impact areas. Progress is reported on monthly, and both Houses aim to continuously improve their performance.  

Since 2008/9 the following progress has been made:  

• A 63.2% reduction in absolute carbon emissions equivalent to 13,194 tonnes 
• A 29% reduction in water consumption equivalent to 92,362 cubic metres 
• A 24.9% reduction in the weight of waste generated which is 500 tonnes 
• A recycling rate of 70% compared to a recycling rate in 2008/09 of 47%. 

Parliament continues to achieve a recycling and recovery rate of 100% - with zero waste to landfill. 

Some of the measures taken to help achieve these environmental improvements include: 

• The efficiency of the heating, ventilation and cooling has been improved through an upgrade to the Building Management System and more efficient equipment is installed when a replacement is necessary 
• The majority of lighting within Parliament’s buildings is now from LED lamps – including those on the Elizabeth Tower. Parliament continues to upgrade lighting and lighting controls during refurbishments 
• Where feasible Parliament has installed SMART metering to allow live tracking of energy and water consumption 
• Use of borehole water to provide air cooling in Portcullis House, and using the by-product as flush-water in toilets 

For more information about WWF’s Earth Hour 2023, visit the website. Join in the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #EarthHourUK. 

From 1800-23:59 on the 25^th March the clock hands of the Elizabeth Tower will be telling the incorrect time – this is because the weights which power the clock will be lowered, with different parts of the clock mechanism tested. The bells will also be silenced. The clock will be operating as normal after midnight, with the lights switched back on at 02:00 on the 26th March.