The world is losing its dark night sky. In a new study published in Nature, a group of researchers documented a 16% net increase in global nighttime light from 2014 to 2022. The brightening was not steady, rather a patchwork of different regional situations, with the United States having by far the highest total luminosity of any other country and a notable surge in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
The presence of human-made light in outdoor environments during natural dark periods – usually referred to as Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) – contributes to the overall quality of life in cities and communities, since it is directly linked to road safety and public security, and it enables economic and social activities after dark.
However, lots of studies, including recent statements by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), confirm that obtrusive light and light pollution have adverse effects on human physiology and health by possibly triggering insomnia and other diseases, and even negative impacts on animals and plants, disrupting wildlife, the migrations of birds, the blossoming of flowers, and more.
A growing number of cities and municipalities are therefore re-thinking outdoor lighting and ALAN, acknowledging the importance of light for urban life while seeking new ways to mitigate undesired consequences on ecosystems and biodiversity.
TALQ Consortium’s paper ‘Managing Artificial Light at Night (ALAN)’ summarizes the challenge is a single, basic question: how can cities dispense light more intelligently, providing (only) the right light, at the right place, at the right time?
The advent of LED technology and new generation Smart Lighting systems is an effective answer. Unlike conventional light sources, connected LEDs can be monitored and actioned from remote, enabling flexible and responsive lighting strategies. With dimmers, motion sensors and other devices, the tools already exist to light our nights differently.
Intelligent street lighting systems don’t force cities to switch lights off or cut overall lighting levels, but allow municipalities to grant the appropriate level of illumination where and
when it is needed, while minimising unnecessary power usage, emissions and impacts.
ALAN is expected to gain further importance in the coming years, driven by increasing
environmental awareness, evolving regulatory frameworks, and ongoing advances in smart city
technologies. As TALQ Consortium points out, it’s time for cities incorporate ALAN-related objectives into sustainability and climate strategies, and align lighting policies with biodiversity and environmental protection goals.
Favoring interoperable smart lighting devices and solutions sets the foundation for flexibility and scalability, and contributes to reducing energy waste and the adverse effects of ALAN.
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