Light pollution doubles every eight years: how can we properly illuminate our cities?

Experts from the public sector, private sector, and academia debated the impacts and challenges in the implementation of the New Lighting Standard in Chile, in a seminar that focused on the advancement of light pollution and its consequences for biodiversity and human health.

A couple of years ago, estimates based on satellite data indicated that light pollution was increasing by 2% each year globally. However, in 2023, a study from the citizen science project “Globe at Night”, revealed that this growth is much faster than previously thought: light pollution is doubling every eight years.

This increase highlights the need for those who design and create lighting technology to reflect on how cities in Chile are being illuminated and what opportunities the implementation of the New Lighting Standard can generate. These topics were the focus of the seminar “How are we illuminating? The challenges of the lighting standard in public spaces”, organized by DarkSky International and the Association of Lighting Professionals in Chile (API).

Additionally, the event featured participation from the Ministry of the Environment, the Cielos de Chile Foundation, and the photometry and quality control laboratories of the Catholic University of Valparaíso and the Lambda Laboratory.

The advancement of light pollution: a global problem

The CEO of DarkSky International, Ruskin Hartley, warned during his presentation that currently more than 80% of the world’s population lives under skies polluted by artificial light. He explained that, from a scientific perspective, light pollution is the alteration of outdoor light levels compared to natural levels. However, for Hartley, the problem is deeper. “Light pollution is the light that enters our children’s room at night and prevents them from sleeping. It is the blinding light of public luminaires,” he noted.

Indeed, for the CEO of DarkSky, the problem of artificial light pollution not only affects astronomical observation but also human health and threatens biodiversity. “Who are the inhabitants of the night? 90% of amphibians, 69% of mammals, 60% of invertebrates, and 30% of birds. The brightness in the sky has become the main predator of migratory birds and has generated what is known as the insect apocalypse,” he added.

The New Lighting Standard in Chile: an advancement in the protection of biodiversity and health

Igor Valdebenito, head of the Noise, Lighting, and Odors Department of the Ministry of the Environment, highlighted that the impact of light pollution on biodiversity and health was one of the main factors for updating the lighting regulations in Chile. “One of the key pieces of information we gathered was the impact of cold light on biodiversity, especially for swallows, white-chinned petrels, and other seabirds. Additionally, the impact of cold light on people’s health, especially on the circadian cycle,” he explained.

During his intervention, Igor Valdebenito detailed the next steps for the implementation of the new regulation, which will begin to take effect on October 18. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure its success. “We cannot achieve the correct implementation of the New Lighting Standard alone from the Ministry; we need everyone’s support. This is a transition period, and dissemination is crucial,” he concluded.

Challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the New Lighting Standard

Daniela González, executive director of the Cielos de Chile Foundation, addressed the challenges presented by the new regulation, especially for local governments. “In Chile, there are around 3.5 million luminaires. The replacement will not be a minor expense, but if accompanied by proper design, it can generate savings for municipalities in the medium and long term. Efficiency in this process is key to the success of the regulation,” she emphasized.

She also highlighted the importance of correctly informing the public about the replacement of public luminaires, especially in the context of the security crisis. “We cannot ignore that we are in a security crisis. According to a study that evaluated the impact of reducing lights in public lighting on crime, the relationship between security and light is not linear, and there is no direct correlation; it is a multifactorial phenomenon,” she pointed out.

Paulina Villalobos, a member of the API and the board of DarkSky International, stated that those who design and produce luminaires play an essential role in the implementation of the new regulation, and the standard undoubtedly opens opportunities for the sector. “We have a certain window to design, and good lighting also involves design decisions. A good lighting project must pay attention to light levels, shadow and contrast control, light color, glare, among other aspects,” she noted.

With the New Lighting Standard about to come into effect, the seminar made clear the urgency to act, not only to meet the requirements of the regulation but to ensure that cities are illuminated in a more efficient way, respectful of the environment and healthy for their inhabitants. As pointed out in her intervention by the executive director of the Cielos de Chile Foundation: “The new regulation sets the standards and the minimums, but it does not mean that we cannot go further in caring for dark skies.”