Earth Hour now covers vast area including 7000 cities across 152 countries in the world, which started in Australia in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This climate change initiative has focused again on the population of coral reefs across the shores in its eighth year of program.

This years' earth Hour program focuses to raise awareness about the increasing impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef. The earth Hour event 2014 will take place at the Hamilton Island and is titled as 'lights out for the reef'.

According to sources, the wave of darkness will spread across the world for one hour from 8.30pm on Saturday night. It is believed that the movement will raise awareness about the future of the Great Barrier's Reef. Coral bleaching, heat-stressed corals and erosion from carbon dioxide acidification are some of the factors which are deteriorating coral population, said scientists.

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a Prof. of marine science at the University of Queensland, said that 50.7% of coral population has died because of climate change in past 30 years. Mr. Hoegh-Guldberg, said that the population of coral reef could be brought back to life if steps to reduce impact of climate change will be taken.

Glenn Bourke, CEO of Hamilton Island, said: "As the largest inhabited Island of the Whitsundays Islands, we would thank the WWF Earth Hour team for mobilizing a worldwide focus on this Australian natural wonder".