Spider-Man stars to lead Earth Hour event

SINGAPORE - The stars of the movie "Amazing Spider-Man 2" will lead this year's global Earth Hour lights-out event on March 29 which is being coordinated in Singapore, organisers WWF said Thursday.

"Spider-Man will join the film's stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx in the event, helping to switch off the lights across Singapore's signature Marina Bay skyline," the environmental campaign group said in a statement.

WWF has named the movie superhero as ambassador for the Earth Hour global campaign to turn the spotlight on climate change. An unnamed person will play Spider-Man at the ceremony.

WWF Singapore spokesman Sourav Roy said Spider-Man can help inspire more people to join the movement.

"He comes with his message in the movie that with great power comes great responsibility, and we are trying to tell everybody through him that everybody can be a superhero and do his or her bit to bring about a change for the planet," Roy told AFP.

During Earth Hour landmarks across the world -- including the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower and the Kremlin -- will switch off their lights for 60 minutes at 8:30 pm local time on the appointed day.

Earth Hour covered more than 150 countries in 2013.

"I'm proud Spider-Man is the first superhero ambassador for Earth Hour," Garfield, the actor who plays the role in the movie, said in a video message on the Earth Hour website.

Foxx, who plays the villain Electro, said: "Earth Hour isn't just about lights off. It's about people across the world coming together throughout the year to join forces to improve the planet."

WWF Singapore chief executive Elaine Tan said that while the city-state may not have endangered local wildlife, its location makes it a hotspot for animal trafficking.

On January 16 Singapore customs officials seized more than $1.5 million worth of smuggled black rhinoceros horns at Changi Airport.

"We are trying to tell people that look, there is trade happening and we need to be on our guard. We should stop the buying so we can stop the killing," Tan told AFP. -- Agence France-Presse