Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Otago researchers have received a significant $52 million funding boost from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. The Programme Grant funding, announced today, alongside Project Grant funding announced last week, will support 31 research projects that will benefit the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders. Four Programme grants worth $5 million each over five years, a Rangahau Hauora Māori Health Project, a Pacific Health Project, and 24 Project Grants, each running over three years, were all awarded. Additionally, a 12-month, $1 million extension for an existing Dunedin Study Programme Grant was awarded. HRC Chief Executive Professor Sunny Collings says the research supported by Programme funding should make a significant difference to health and help advance its field of research, while the Project Grants provide exciting opportunities to help advance our knowledge and drive meaningful change in the health system. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, Professor Richard Blaikie is thrilled with the funding received. “This is the largest amount of Health Research Council funding Otago has been awarded in any year, which is great news to be able to share with our University community, and the wider public, at this time. “The funding is recognition of Otago’s world-leading researchers, and the needs of the communities they serve. “We are grateful the Health Research Council has again been able to support their work, which we know will have an enduring impact on the lives and wellbeing of so many.” The HRC awarded $88.7 million in the past week, including seven Programme Grants ($35 million in total), two Rangahau Hauora Māori Project Grants ($2.4 million in total), three Pacific Project Grants ($3.4 million in total) and 39 General Project Grants ($47.9 million in total). HRC 2023 Project and Programme grant recipients Programme recipients: Associate Professor Jason Gurney (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), University of Otago, Wellington Whakatōmuri, whakamua: Walking backwards into the future of Māori cancer care $4,999,905 Māori have poorer cancer survival for 23 of the 24 most common cancers diagnosed in New Zealand. There is evidence that Māori are less likely to receive best-practice care during their cancer journey, and this may contribute to these unacceptable differences. In this programme, we will use a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods to explore aspects of the availability, affordability and acceptability of cancer care for Māori and their whānau, with a view to informing improvements in care access and survival outcomes. Professor Rachael Taylor, University of Otago Whakatipu rakatira: improving sleep as a vehicle to grow healthy future leaders $4,999,677 We all know the value of a good night’s sleep. Yet, for many reasons, good sleep health is often not prioritised, meaning many children and adolescents do not get enough good-quality sleep that lets them function well in today’s busy world. Our programme aims to change that – to test different ways of helping tamariki in Aotearoa sleep well, from infancy through to adolescence. Projects include working in conjunction with Māori health providers to develop more comprehensive service delivery around sleep in babies, testing the appeal and effectiveness of different online approaches to improving sleep in younger teens that can be quickly scaled, and school-wide initiatives that allow all older teens to benefit from later school starts that more closely match their biological tendency to sleep late. By working closely with health and education providers, rapid implementation is both feasible and attractive; after all, who doesn’t like a good moe? Professor Richie Poulton, University of Otago A lifecourse study on ageing processes to inform early intervention strategies 12-months, $1,000,000 programme extension As the population ages and life expectancy increases, policy-makers and citizens are concerned that our extra years should be healthy, productive, and enjoyable, not extra years of disease and disability. Finding new strategies to prevent age-related disease and disability requires identification of risk factors in early-to-midlife that can be ameliorated or reversed, well before the onset of age-related disease. This recognition lends new scientific significance to studies that have followed cohorts from childhood to midlife, including the Dunedin Study. The proposed work will use biomarker data collected from the same 1000 individuals at ages 26, 32, 38, and 45 to track the pace of their biological aging. We will uncover why some people age faster than others, and why some fortunate people age more slowly than their age-peers. Findings are expected to support interventions to slow aging, prevent age-related diseases, and enhance preparedness for wellbeing in later life. Professor Leigh Hale, University of Otago Taunakitanga Takitini: reframing self-management support for all in Aotearoa $4,999,810 The Taunakitanga Takitini programme aims to build Aotearoa-specific knowledge about supported self-management to enable those who experience greatest health inequities, that is, underserved populations living with lifelong conditions (specifically Māori and Pacific peoples, Tāngata Whaikaha (Māori with disability) and those experiencing learning (intellectual) disability) and their whānau to be supported to live the best possible life. Partnering with Māori, Pacific and disability healthcare providers we will explore service users and communities needs and aspirations for living well and what healthcare services would best support them and how. Using this knowledge, we will co-develop care models of how collaborative community healthcare professionals and kaiāwhina can support and work alongside whānau and communities to enable them to support themselves within their own context. These models will then be implemented, and outcomes evaluated. Our findings will inform policy, healthcare service and the public. We will thereby build Aotearoa-specific research capacity and capability. Professor Antony Braithwaite, University of Otago Investigating the functions of p53 isoforms and their clinical translation $4,999,701 This programme focusses on understanding how the TP53 gene network, especially p53 isoforms, contributes to cancer, and using this information to develop clinically useful information and tools. We will verify that high levels ∆133T53b isoform predict which patients will develop aggressive disease and develop a clinically useful biomarker; learn more about the cancers with high levels ∆133T53b by characterising the immune cell infiltration; use CRISPR to identify mechanisms of isoform function; develop novel strategies to target cancers with elevated levels of ∆133p53 isoforms, including immunotherapy; and develop more refined future biomarkers using advanced statistical tools to compare each tumour’s immune status and clinical features of cancer patients. With these broad approaches we will develop an in-depth understanding of how the TP53 network contributes to cancer which will provide clinically translatable information leading to new prognostic markers and new therapies. Project recipients: Dr Charlene Rapsey, University of Otago Connected: Who benefits from online delivery of mental disorder treatment? $1,439,846 Early treatment of mental disorders is essential to reduce suffering and to decrease early mortality. Most prevalent among rangatahi aged 16-24, untreated mental disorder affects relationships, education, and career options. The need for treatment far exceeds resources, with rangatahi Māori less likely to be engaged in treatment. Culturally responsive, online therapies are a cost-effective scalable option to meet the high level of need. Using a pragmatic RCT we will test three internet-therapies (iStandard, iCoach, iGroup), which vary according to external support and strengthening of whakawhanaungatanga. We will recruit rangatahi enrolled in tertiary education. Beyond evaluating which therapy works best overall for Māori and non-Māori, we will use machine learning techniques to understand who is most likely to respond to which treatment. Precision treatment enables an individual to be directed to a treatment with the greatest likelihood of success for them, reducing treatment failure and reducing time to remission. Associate Professor Peter Jones, University of Otago Establishment of a new molecular target for arrhythmias and heart failure $1,198,100 A heart attack, otherwise known as a myocardial infarction, is the second leading cause of death in New Zealand. Those who survive suffer from arrhythmias and heart failure. Unfortunately, there are limited treatment options available for these patients. Diabetes exacerbates these outcomes with diabetic patients experiencing greater mortality and morbidity following a myocardial infarction. Arrhythmias and heart failure are both caused by ‘calcium leak’ through a protein known as the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2). We have recently found that calcium leak increases when RyR2 phosphorylation by casein kinase 2 (CK2) decreases. CK2 activity is reduced during and after a myocardial infarction, and in diabetes and heart failure. Therefore, this project aims to determine if maintaining the phosphorylation of RyR2 by CK2 can prevent calcium leak, arrhythmias and heart failure in diabetes and following a myocardial infarction. In doing so it will identify a new target for treating arrhythmias and heart failure. Professor Greg Anderson, University of Otago Curbing the reproductive hormonal axis to control PCOS $1,199,989 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of anovulatory infertility. Although some treatments for symptoms exist, there is currently no cure and infertility remains an intractable problem for many PCOS sufferers. We propose to develop clinically translatable protocols for ovulation induction in infertile women with PCOS. Our approach will be to temporarily suppress pulsatile secretion of luteinising hormone, which is in excess in women with PCOS and causes reproductive dysfunction, in order to reset ovarian follicle development. We will achieve this by targeting kisspeptin or AgRP neuronal systems, which are known to modulate luteinising hormone pulses. Our experiments will utilise transgenic technologies and a preclinical rodent model of hyperandogenic PCOS. We will also test pharmacological compounds which are currently under development as therapeutic drugs, so our results should directly inform clinical translation. We will also evaluate long-term effects of these interventions on a wide range of PCOS symptoms. Professor Merilyn Hibma, University of Otago A molecular triage test to reduce colposcopy referrals after HPV testing $1,199,987 In 2023, the primary test for cervical screening will change to human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. HPV testing can be carried out on a self-collected swab, improving accessibility of screening for Māori and other women. However, a follow-up invasive triage test may be required. Additionally, many women referred to colposcopy following an HPV+ test do not have disease and would be better managed with monitoring. The purpose of this research is to develop a triage test for HPV+ women using the cells from a self-collected vaginal swab that will distinguish high-grade disease requiring treatment from low-grade disease that can be monitored. RNA sequencing will be used to identify disease-associated changes in gene expression and an assay will be developed and evaluated for its diagnostic effectiveness in a cross-section of HPV+ women. If successful, this test will have a significant impact on women’s health and on health delivery nationally and globally. Caroline Halley, University of Otago, Wellington Urban farm-like dust: microbial origin and protective effects on later asthma $1,196,994 New Zealand has high rates of asthma and hospitalisations for asthma. A follow up is proposed for a study carried out in 450 urban Wellington homes, to examine whether the recently discovered protection for wheeze by ‘farm-like’ microbes found in the initial study, have resulted in less asthma at age 12, than those who did not have ‘farm-like’ dust. Additionally, refining the Finnish ‘farm-like’ dust and investigating what factors create farm like dust in urban environments is proposed. Understanding these factors gives us our first opportunity to confer the protective effects of farming to urban settings, by modification of the early infant indoor environment. Professor Suetonia Palmer, University of Otago, Christchurch IMPEDE-PKD: Metformin to protect kidney function in polycystic kidney disease $1,440,000 IMPEDE-PKD is a clinical trial evaluating whether metformin prevents kidney failure in people with polycystic kidney disease (PKD). PKD is a genetic condition causing large kidney cysts. Affected people often require dialysis or a kidney transplant and can experience pain and disfigurement. There is no targeted treatment to prevent cyst growth for patients in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The IMPEDE-PKD trial will involve 100 patients in New Zealand with PKD and decreased kidney function. Patients will receive either metformin or a matching placebo for two years. We will evaluate whether metformin slows kidney failure after two years of treatment. Whanau Māori will be partnered with a navigator Māori to provide culturally specific support while participating in IMPEDE-PKD. Dr Sunali Mehta, University of Otago Relaxed quality control: how rogue AS-NMD drives cancer evolution $1,185,000 Cancer cells are continuously evolving under selective pressure by increasing their protein repertoire. This feature of cancer cells is driven by their ability to generate new RNA species via alternative splicing (AS) in combination with relaxing the quality control mechanism called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). However, how cancer cells manipulate AS and NMD remains poorly understood. Our study will use cutting-edge gene editing CRISPR-Cas9 technology coupled with long read RNA-sequencing to gain critical insight into how cancer cells exploit AS and NMD to express aberrantly spliced transcripts capable of driving cancer evolution, metastasis and treatment resistance. Dr Ben Beaglehole, University of Otago, Christchurch Ketamine versus Ketamine plus Behavioural Activation Therapy for Depression $1,194,435 Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the most common psychiatric disorder. Usual treatments for MDD have limitations including side effects and inadequate response rates. Consequently, Treatment-Resistant MDD (TR-MDD) causes significant individual suffering and high societal burdens. Ketamine offers new opportunities as a highly effective short-term treatment for TR-MDD but relapse rates are high following treatment with Ketamine ending. Treatment guidelines recommend complementing medication treatment of MDD with therapy to improve response and delay relapse. However, the vast majority of Ketamine studies evaluate Ketamine treatment alone. It is not known if the addition of therapy to Ketamine treatment prolongs the clinical response and delays relapse for TR-MDD. We therefore propose a pilot study comparing Ketamine with Ketamine plus Behavioural Activation Therapy (BAT) to evaluate whether BAT (an evidence-based therapy for MDD) prolongs the clinical response and delays relapse following a course of Ketamine treatment. Dr Ashleigh Barrett-Young, University of Otago Blood-based biomarkers of dementia in a longitudinal birth cohort $1,200,000 Finding out if you have the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease from a simple blood test is getting closer to reality. In this project, we will investigate promising blood biomarkers of dementia, including pTau181, pTau217, amyloid beta (AB40 and AB42), neurofilament light chain, and glial fibrillary acidic protein, in middle-aged members of the Dunedin Study. Participants will be aged 52 so this project will tell us a lot about the processes of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in their earliest stages, and may help to identify people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s before they begin to show symptoms, when lifestyle and pharmacological treatments may be most effective. The wealth of data on the Dunedin Study members also gives us an unparalleled opportunity to investigate the risk and protective factors from across the lifecourse which may influence a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Carrie Ruth Innes, University of Otago, Christchurch Where are the inequities in the journey from health to gynae cancer in Aotearoa? $1,187,766 Compared with non-Māori, Māori and Pasifika wāhine have a higher incidence and mortality from gynaecological cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand. Of particular concern, the incidence of endometrial cancer in young women in Aotearoa is increasing faster than anywhere else in the world and the greatest burden of this lies in Māori and Pasifika wāhine. Inequities can occur at any stage along the pathway from health to gynaecological cancer and also between different ethnicities and geographical regions. This research study will identify the cultural, geographical, and timeline inequities in the journey from health to gynaecological cancer across all of Aotearoa. Through investigation of health data and interviews with wāhine newly-diagnosed with gynaecological cancer, we will document the ethnicity, timetable, and geographical location, of presentations to health care services, clinical investigations, stage and disease burden at diagnosis, and consider barriers to accessing health care or investigations. Dr Esther Willing, University of Otago Protecting hapū māmā and pēpi from vaccine preventable diseases $1,158,530 Immunisation against pertussis, influenza, and COVID-19 during pregnancy is the only effective way to protect hapu māmā and their pēpi from these potentially fatal diseases. Maternal immunisation coverage is below optimal in Aotearoa and significant inequities exist for wahine Māori, putting Māori māmā and their pēpi at higher risk from vaccine-preventable diseases. Barriers to maternal immunisation include costs to access services, mistrust of the health system and lack of appropriate information. We will identify and develop interventions to overcome these barriers and improve vaccination uptake for hapu māmā within localities that have significant inequities. We will engage with key stakeholders in these localities including immunisation coordinators, midwives, GPs, pharmacists, iwi, community representatives to co-design interventions to address the specific needs of Māori whanau. We will evaluate these interventions and develop a roadmap for action to decrease barriers to maternal vaccination, support informed decision-making, and improve maternal immunisation coverage across Aotearoa. Dr Euan Rodger, University of Otago Identifying epigenetic markers for early detection of colorectal cancer $1,199,979 Colorectal cancer (CRC) death rates are particularly high in Aotearoa New Zealand and are increasing in younger people (age

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In a significant development in the fight against fatal cancers, University of Otago researchers have pinpointed a key feature that leads to the aggressive spread of colon cancer. Led by Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee and Drs Euan Rodger and Rachel Purcell, researchers discovered abnormalities in the DNA instruction code that lead to the aggressive spread of colorectal (bowel) cancer – Aotearoa’s second highest cause of cancer death. Dr Rodger says the finding – published in the Cell Press journal iScience – is a significant step towards the detection and prevention of tumours that spread or grow rapidly. The main cause of cancer-related death is the spread of tumours to distant organs, referred to as metastasis. “Despite this profound impact, how tumours become metastatic and so deadly, and what is different about these tumour cells remains largely unknown. The DNA instructions – the blueprint of a cell – and how and where these instructions go wrong in cancer cells provide important clues in understanding why this happens,” Dr Rodger says. Methylation – a chemical modification of DNA – can control how the DNA code will behave in a cell. Therefore studying DNA methylation levels (also referred to as the epigenetic code) in the lab and in patient tumour samples has the potential to understand metastasis and utilise the knowledge for patient benefit. The research team studied the DNA methylation map and also how the DNA behaves in bowel cancer patients. In each of 20 patients, they then analysed clinical samples from the primary colon tumour and the tumours that had spread to the liver. “We have discovered almost 300 gene regions that show distinct DNA methylation levels in liver metastasis,” he says. “These changes are unique to aggressive liver metastasis and are not present in primary tumours or in normal colon. The genes that have the unique methylation signature have important functions in cells. “This work shows that cancer cells could use unique methylation patterns to become aggressive.” Associate Professor Chatterjee says the finding is particularly significant for Aotearoa where 1,200 people die from bowel cancer every year. “Patients with distant metastases, such as liver metastasis as we have studied in this work, unfortunately have very low five-year survival rates. “Alarmingly, the incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing in people under 50 years old and in Māori and Pasifika populations at a faster rate. Māori and Pasifika are also more likely to present directly to emergency departments with advanced colorectal tumours,” he says. “Our work will open new avenues for understanding why cancer cells become so aggressive and will lead to better outcome prediction and new targets to treat these tumours in the future.” Associate Professor Chatterjee and Dr Rodger will undertake more research on metastatic cancers with the aid of funding from the Health Research Council and the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi Marsden Fund. Publication details An epigenetic signature of advanced colorectal cancer metastasis Euan Rodger, Gregory Gimenez, Priyadarshana Ajithkumar, Peter Stockwell, Suzan Almomani, Sarah Bowden, Anna Leichter, Sharon Pattison, John McCall, Frank Frizelle, Michael Eccles, Rachel Purcell and Aniruddha Chatterjee (all of the University of Otago), Antonio Ahn (University of Melbourne), Sebastian Schmeier (Evotech SE, Germany) iScience For more information, contact: Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine University of Otago Email aniruddha.chatterjee@otago.ac.nz Dr Euan Rodger Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine University of Otago Email euan.rodger@otago.ac.nz Lea Jones Communications Adviser, Media Engagement University of Otago Mob +64 21 279 4969 Email lea.jones@otago.ac.nz

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Rafa Winurdi’s finishing school is not the kind with one ‘n’. Rather than balancing books on her head while descending a staircase and practising perfect elocution, the intrepid Otago Bachelor of Arts tauira practised making international friends while on an Otago Global Student Exchange at a Finnish school, the University of Helsinki, instead. Parties, pasta at two in the morning, an outdoor adventure race, and marching and singing with others while brandishing burning torches for Independence Day celebrations in the capital city are etched in Rafa’s memories of her semester 2, 2022, exchange. “When I was on exchange I was doing stuff that I wouldn’t think of doing back home. My mindset during the whole thing was: What are the chances you’re going to meet these people again?” The exchange allowed Rafa’s sense of adventure, instilled from childhood, to flourish. “Just be adventurous on [exchange] and don’t think of the consequences. Just make memories.” It was the first time Rafa had ventured overseas from her home in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta. Rafa is an international student whose Otago studies began online in 2021 during the height of travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Otago Global Student Exchange Programme • Travel the world while you study towards your Otago degree on an Otago Global Student Exchange • Study for one or two semesters at one of Otago’s prestigious partner universities in more than 30 countries • Travel grant/awards available • Continue to receive your StudyLink L&A • See Exchange information for Otago students for additional information and how to apply! Until she went to Finland in the second semester of 2022 she was based at home in Indonesia.Finland seemed the obvious choice for Rafa and her parents when perusing the list of more than 100 partner universities available to visit on an exchange trip. Finnish education is famously high ranking. “I wanted to find out why their education is world-class. I went there basically because they have a good education. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have gone because it’s kind of like in the middle of nowhere,” she says. Being one of the world’s top performers in tertiary and secondary education could be related to the country’s laidback approach to study. “I learned they were very laidback in the sense that if I don’t want to do this paper anymore, I can just drop it. So, it was really student-lead and they really cared about their students’ wellbeing. “I think that’s kind of like their whole ideology even before university. There wasn’t really much pressure.” While at first appearing to be “in the middle of nowhere”, Finland was the starting point for other journeys and launched Rafa into an unforgettable round of international travel. From Finland she visited the bordering countries of Sweden and Estonia, went snowmobiling in Lapland, and also popped in a visit to a friend in Amsterdam at the end of her trip. She is a strong advocate for the Otago Global Student Exchange programme and recommends the experience to anyone seeking the thrill of overseas adventure.

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Big ones, little ones, prehistoric ones, modern ones – all sorts of penguins will be part of an educational penguin game being developed by an Ōtepoti videogame company with help from an Otago University palaeontologist. Spookysoft Games creative director Stef Animal says ‘My Year of Penguins’ is a series of 12 “mini games” alongside 12 video documentaries featuring lots of information about historical and modern-day penguins. “There’s cute cartoon penguins in the games, and then educational documentaries we’ve been making to go along side it,” Animal says. “It’s nice that kids can learn about penguins that exist now and also the history of penguins.” Animal is from Ōtepoti and says there are plenty of penguins there. “They’re quite fun to draw and fun to look at.” Aotearoa New Zealand is also one of the places where penguins originally come from and has been described as the ‘nursery’ for penguin evolution by palaeontologists, she adds. “I think penguins are really popular, kids love them, it’s a good way to attract kids to the game.” Putting the game together has seen her working with a few penguin experts including palaeontologist Dr Katie Matts who finished her PhD at Otago last year, and Jordana Whyte of The Wildlife Hospital, Dunedin. Animal and videographer Rachel Anson recorded Dr Matts recently talking about penguins for the game in the University’s Geology Museum. Dr Matts says she gave Animal information about fossil penguins, penguin skeletal anatomy and their history, and was able to show a few specimens. She made a point of keeping the younger audience in mind and avoided going “too deep” into specific areas. She says she has given presentations at school and public talks before but being a part of a documentary or video game is something new. Her PhD focused on the extinct Platydyptes penguin. “It’s got this interesting place in penguin history because it had some of the more archaic basal features but also some of the more modern features as well.” Animal says she would try and make video games as a kid and got back into it as a hobby while she worked as a chef. “It turns out it’s a little bit tricky, but it’s not as hard, and you get to sit down which after years in hospitality I really appreciated.” ‘My Year of Penguins’ is the fourth game Spookysoft Games has created. Animal and three others accessed funding from the Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) a couple of years ago to develop such games. CODE is funded by Kānoa – Region Economic Development & Investment Unit and was created to help boost Ōtepoti’s game development sector. New Zealand On Air commissioned Spookysoft Games to put together a game called ‘Animal Tracks’ which sees the player make music using noises from birds and animals native to Aotearoa. In addition to ‘My Year of Penguins’ Spookysoft Games is also working on a comic-making game which sees kids using pre-made images and characters. “It’s for kids who don’t like drawing but like playing with computers and being creative.” Spookysoft Games was able to hire several illustrators to provide the players with lots of different illustrations. -Kōrero by internal communications adviser, Koren Allpress

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Following the news yesterday that people working at the Taratahi Institute of Agriculture could be forced to go without pay, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) called on the Minister to step in immediately to support those affected and their families.

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Today, the Environmental Protection Agency released new pollution standards for cars and trucks. These new standards are expected to reduce emissions by approximately 30% compared to 2021 levels, or about 7.3 billion metric tons of climate pollution, which is crucial to mitigating climate change and align with our national goal of cutting emissions by 50-52% from 2005 levels by 2030. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president of climate change:

“This new rule is the strongest-ever emissions standard of its kind, surpassing previous regulations and significantly reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Tackling tailpipe emissions, which pose the biggest source of climate pollution in the US, is critical to combating global warming. The auto industry has the technology to make cleaner vehicles, and like all of us, they must do their part to help us reach our climate goals.

These standards will lead to improved public health with cleaner air that supports healthier communities and a better quality of life for all. WWF looks forward to continuing to work with the EPA and other partners to further advance policies to promote a cleaner, healthier planet for future generations.”

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• La Hora del Planeta, el movimiento colectivo más grande del mundo a favor del medio ambiente, regresa en 2024 como una luz de esperanza e inspiración para el futuro de nuestro planeta.
• Los lugares más emblemáticos de Estados Unidos, incluidos el Empire State Building, la Space Needle, las Cataratas del Niágara y la Torre Willis, apagarán sus luces durante una hora.
• Se invita a todas las personas a que dediquen 60 minutos a hacer algo positivo por el planeta: en el Banco de Horas del sitio web de WWF podrán encontrar ideas personalizadas.

El 23 de marzo a las 8:30 p.m. hora local, la Hora del Planeta de WWF regresará para unir a millones de personas en todo el mundo en apoyo y celebración de nuestro planeta. En un mundo cada vez más dividido que lucha contra los impactos del cambio climático y la pérdida de la biodiversidad, la Hora del Planeta trae la positividad, inspiración y esperanza que se necesitan actualmente.

Desde 2007, la Hora del Planeta ha sido conocida por su icónico momento de “apagar la luz”, cuando los lugares emblemáticos y hogares de todo el mundo apagan sus luces. Este año, mientras los principales monumentos apaguen sus luces para celebrar la Hora del Planeta, WWF invita a todos a “darle una hora al planeta” dedicando 60 minutos a cualquier actividad ecopositiva, desde hoy hasta el Día de la Tierra, a celebrarse el 22 de abril. Una herramienta interactiva disponible en línea mostrará actividades sugeridas para diversos estilos de vida e intereses, mismas que los participantes podrán registrar como contribución a un “Banco de Horas”.

Katy Fenn, directora de Educación y Compromiso con la Marca de World Wildlife Fund, dijo: “En el Banco de Horas hay actividades para todos: desde aquellas relacionadas con la comida y el fitness hasta el arte y el entretenimiento. Nuestro objetivo es contabilizar 100,000 horas aquí en Estados Unidos. Este nuevo enfoque de campaña demuestra que las acciones ambientales pueden ser fáciles, divertidas e impactantes. Al ampliar la participación a aquellos que aún no están comprometidos con el medio ambiente, esperamos crear conciencia e impulsar acciones colectivas para proteger nuestro planeta”.

Para obtener más información, visita: https://lahoradelplaneta.us/

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Materiales disponibles

Materiales para redes sociales aquí.

Fotografías de ediciones anteriores de la Hora del Planeta aquí.

Acerca de la Hora del Planeta

La Hora del Planeta es el movimiento ambientalista global más emblemático de WWF. En los últimos 17 años, ha crecido hasta convertirse en el movimiento colectivo más grande del mundo a favor del medio ambiente, inspirando a personas, comunidades, empresas y organizaciones en más de 190 países y territorios a tomar medidas para nuestro futuro colectivo.

Históricamente, la Hora del Planeta se ha centrado en la crisis climática, pero más recientemente, la Hora del Planeta se ha esforzado por abordar una variedad de preocupaciones que enfrentan las personas y el planeta. El movimiento reconoce el papel que desempeñan las personas en la creación de soluciones ante los mayores desafíos ambientales del planeta y demuestra el poder de millones de personas que trabajan juntas para lograr un objetivo común.

Acerca de World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF es una de las organizaciones de conservación líderes en el mundo, que trabaja en casi 100 países durante más de medio siglo para ayudar a las personas y la naturaleza a prosperar. Con el apoyo de más de 5 millones de miembros en todo el mundo, WWF se dedica a brindar soluciones basadas en la ciencia para preservar la diversidad y abundancia de vida en la Tierra, detener la degradación del medio ambiente y combatir la crisis climática. Visita Descubre WWF para conocer las últimas noticias y recursos mediáticos de WWF, y síguenos en X y Youtube.

WWF es una de las principales organizaciones conservacionistas del mundo y trabaja desde hace 60 años en casi 100 países para ayudar a las personas y la naturaleza a prosperar. Con el apoyo de 1.3 millones de miembros en los Estados Unidos y más de 5 millones de miembros en todo el mundo, WWF se dedica a ofrecer soluciones basadas en la ciencia para preservar la diversidad y abundancia de la vida en la Tierra, detener la degradación del medio ambiente y combatir la crisis climática. Visita Descubre WWF para conocer más y síguenos en Instagram, Threads, X y YouTube para que te mantengas al día con las últimas noticias sobre conservación.

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Esta semana, el Senado aprobó dos proyectos de ley bipartidistas propuestas por Tom Carper, presidente del Comité Senatorial de Medio Ambiente y Obras Públicas y los senadores Shelley Moore Capito y John Boozman, que ayudarán a reducir la contaminación por plásticos mediante la inversión en los sistemas de reciclaje y compostaje de Estados Unidos. La Ley de Responsabilidad de Reciclaje y Compostaje solicitaría a la Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) recopilar datos adicionales sobre el reciclaje y una estrategia nacional de compostaje, mientras que la Ley de Accesibilidad e Infraestructura de Reciclaje crearía un programa piloto de la EPA para construir proyectos de infraestructura de reciclaje en áreas rurales y comunidades de escasos recursos. En respuesta a ello, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) emitió la siguiente declaración de Alejandro Pérez, vicepresidente senior de políticas y asuntos gubernamentales:

“La semana pasada, 61 activistas y personal de WWF se reunieron con miembros del Congreso para solicitar medidas para hacer que los sistemas de reciclaje y compostaje sean más accesibles para todos los estadounidenses. Hoy felicitamos al Senado por aprobar, con un fuerte apoyo bipartidista, dos medidas importantes que facilitarán que más personas reduzcan los desechos plásticos. La adopción de estas prácticas propuestas es un paso positivo para evitar que los plásticos lleguen hasta nuestros océanos, ríos, vertederos e incluso nuestros cuerpos. Ahora instamos a la Cámara de Representantes para que apruebe estos proyectos de ley que contribuirán a mejorar los sistemas de gestión de residuos de Estados Unidos, con la confianza de que cuentan con un fuerte apoyo tanto de los consumidores como de las empresas para actuar. Las futuras generaciones están contando con nosotros para mantener el plástico alejado de la naturaleza”.

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On March 23rd at 8:30 pm local time, WWF’s Earth Hour will return to unite millions worldwide in support and celebration of our planet. In an increasingly divided world struggling with the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, Earth Hour provides much-needed positivity, inspiration, and hope.

Since 2007, Earth Hour has been known for its iconic “lights out” moment, with landmarks and homes worldwide switching off their lights. This year, while major landmarks go dark to celebrate Earth Hour, WWF encourages individuals to ‘Give an Hour for Earth’ by spending 60 minutes participating in any eco-positive activity from now until Earth Day on April 22nd. An interactive online tool will suggest activities for various lifestyles and interests, and participants can log their contribution to the national and global ‘Hour Bank’.

Katy Fenn, Director of Brand Engagement and Education, said: “From food and fitness to art and entertainment, there’s an activity for everyone in the Hour Bank, and we are aiming to bank 100,000 hours here in the United States. This new campaign approach proves that environmental action can be easy, fun and impactful. By expanding participation to those who are not yet environmentally engaged, we hope to raise awareness and spur collective action in protecting our planet.”

For more information, visit https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour.

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For more information, please contact:

tara.doyle@wwfus.org

Assets

Link to social media assets here.

Link to previous Earth Hour photos here.

About Earth Hour

Earth Hour is WWF’s flagship global environmental movement. Over the past 17 years, it has grown to become the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organizations in more than 190 countries and territories to take action for our collective future.

Historically, Earth Hour has focused on the climate crisis, but more recently, Earth Hour has strived to address a range of concerns facing people and the planet. The movement recognizes the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges and demonstrates the power of millions of people working together towards a common goal.

About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of 1.3 million members in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on Twitter to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

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The Senate this week passed two bipartisan bills from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper, Ranking Member Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, and Sen. John Boozman that would help reduce plastic pollution by investing in America’s recycling and composting systems. The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to collect additional data on recycling and a national composting strategy, while the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act would create an EPA pilot program to build recycling infrastructure projects in rural and underserved communities. In response, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president of policy and government affairs:

“Last week, 61 WWF activists and staff met with members of Congress asking for action to make recycling and composting systems more accessible for all Americans. Today, we commend the Senate for passing two important measures with strong bipartisan support that will make it easier for more people to reduce plastic waste. The adoption of these practical proposals is a positive step forward to keeping plastics out of our oceans, rivers, landfills and even our bodies. We now urge the House to pass these bills to improve America’s waste management systems with the confidence that they have strong support from consumers and businesses alike to act. Future generations are counting on us to keep plastic out of nature.”