Lights were turned off at famous tourist sites and homes around the world on Saturday for Earth Hour 2009, a worldwide event aimed at drawing attention to the danger posed by climate change. Landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower, and London's Houses of Parliament dimmed their lights as part of a campaign to promote energy conservation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Despite concerns about the costs associated with fighting global warming during the economic crisis, organizers believe that millions of people demonstrated their support for governments to establish a strong new U.N. agreement by the end of 2009. Kim Carstensen, head of a climate initiative at WWF, expressed optimism about the possibility of achieving a new climate deal during U.N. climate talks in Bonn. He mentioned that they were spreading the message to everyone who turned off their lights, while attendees and activists enjoyed blue cocktails. According to the U.N. Climate Panel, greenhouse gas emissions are causing the planet to warm and will result in increased floods, droughts, heatwaves, rising sea levels, and the extinction of various animals and plants. Global emissions have increased by approximately 70% since the 1970s, with China surpassing the United States as the largest emitter, followed by the European Union, Russia, and India. One billion people from nearly 90 countries are expected to participate in Earth Hour, an event aimed at addressing climate change. The U.N. Climate Panel is calling for rich nations to reduce their emissions by 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020, while developing nations are also urged to slow the rise of their emissions. Australia initiated Earth Hour in 2007, with the event going global in 2008 and attracting 50 million participants. WWF, the organization behind Earth Hour, is optimistic about the widespread participation in this year's event. Andy Ridley, the executive director of Earth Hour, explained to reporters at Sydney's Bondi Beach that the main purpose of the event is to encourage people to consider how they can reduce their carbon footprint, even if only for an hour, and hopefully continue to do so beyond that hour. In Asia, iconic landmarks in countries such as China, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines turned off their lights as people marked the occasion with candle-lit picnics and concerts. In Singapore, buildings in the business district and major landmarks like the Singapore Flyer went dark. Other famous landmarks worldwide, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Reserve Bank in Mumbai, the dome of St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Great Pyramids in Egypt, and the Acropolis in Athens, also participated by switching off their lights.