Green activists lead lights-off call in France

Environmental campaigners tried to persuade the French to join in a five-minute “lights-out” gesture between 7.55pm and 8pm local time (6.55pm and 7pm Irish time) today, along with the Eiffel Tower and public monuments, which will cut their illumination.

Citizens have been asked to turn off their lights and other illuminated devices such as televisions and computers in a show of unity before tomorrow’s release in Paris of a major report warning that the Earth will keep getting warmer and presenting new evidence of humanity’s role in climate change.