The CIE is pleased to announce the release of the first edition of the CIE Position Statement on Obtrusive Light and Light Pollution.
Building on CIE’s ongoing work on light and the environment, this Position Statement addresses the balance between the benefits of lighting at night and the need to minimise its unwanted effects. The document summarises current understanding, highlights best practices for mitigating obtrusive light, and identifies key areas where further research is needed.
Key takeaways include:
- There are benefits of light at night, such as:
- reduction in the risk of road accidents at night;
- increase in reassurance that it is safe to walk through or be in a space;
- lighting can make a space more inviting, encouraging the use of and social interactions within an area and thereby reducing social exclusion.
- However, there are also drawbacks to use of light at night, such as:
- adverse health effects including disruption to sleep and circadian rhythms;
- disruption of breeding patterns, migration routes and pollination cycles in plants and animals;
- increased sky glow causing reduced ability to see the night sky and affecting astronomical observations.
- The lighting industry offers solutions that can mitigate obtrusive light, mostly based around:
- good lighting design;
- understanding of the needs of a space through local knowledge and planning;
- adaptability of lighting solutions to different demands at different times.
- Further research is needed to better understand the effects of anthropogenic light at night on species and ecosystems as well as development of better measurement methods for obtrusive light and sky glow.
This new Position Statement reaffirms the CIE’s commitment to promoting responsible lighting practices and advancing knowledge to reduce obtrusive light and light pollution for the benefit of society and the environment.
For more details and to download the full document, visit the CIE webpage for Position Statements.