Bradford Council is to switch off the external lights on some of its eye-catching buildings, such as the Alhambra, City Hall and St George’s Hall, to support an international campaign over climate change.

The Council will be following the example of the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House and Buckingham Palace next Saturday, by taking part in the Earth Hour Initiative.

The initiative, which is being promoted by environmental organisation WWF, means that between 8.30pm and 9.30pm iconic buildings all over the world will be plunged into darkness.

As well as turning the lights off outside its buildings, the Council is encouraging other residents and businesses in the district to do the same with their properties.

The organisers of Earth Hour 2009 hope that one billion people take part in 1,000 cities and towns across the world.

The Council and environmental partnership have committed to reducing district-wide CO2 emissions by 11.4 per cent by 2011 and are developing Bradford’s climate change action plan.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the Council’s executive member for environment and culture, said: “Bradford Council is happy to support this initiative, which will send out a strong message to world leaders about the global concern over climate change.

“I hope everyone in Bradford gets behind this campaign and switches off.”