In a marked change from previous years, dozens of Qatar institutions have made plans to go dark tonight in honor of Earth Hour, an annual global event that aims to raise awareness about climate change.

Incidentally, Qatar, which has the world’s highest per capita carbon footprint and has been working to change that dubious distinction, will host the UN Climate Change Summit this year.

Earth Hour kicks off tonight at 8:30 pm, so expect to eat by candlelight if dining at restaurants at Katara, Sheraton Doha, the Four Seasons, InterContinental, W Doha, Pearl-Qatar and Movenpick.

And if you want to commemorate the event with a group, head to Aspire Zone around 7:30 pm for free entertainment, including acoustic music street performers, a break dance show and distribution of glowing materials.

At 8:30 pm, the Earth Hour Qatar team will mark the event by turning off all non-essential lights, including those at the Aspire Dome and The Torch Hotel.

So, who’s planning to switch off? Why or why not?