2023-06-05 09:14:28
For more than 20 years, your association has campaigned to limit the impact of artificial light. Did the results of this study surprise you?
Anne-Marie Ducroux : Originally, these researchers demonstrated an average increase of 2% per year. In their latest study, they indicate that it would rather be 10% on average, a figure which surprises them. But we are surprised to tell the truth that they are surprised: we know that there has been an underestimation of light pollution for years, private lighting – billboards, illuminated signs, etc. – not being taken into account, for lack of available data. In just 20 years (between 1992 and 2012), from street lighting alone, the number of light points in street lighting had increased by more than 89%, producing 94% more artificial light at night.
The light pollution generated by the proliferation of artificial light sources affects both cities and the countryside. Are there still black night places in France?
Often, it is believed that only big cities produce light. However, it is not the case. The light diffuses away from the sources, over tens and tens of kilometers around. In 2015, we published a map of light pollution in France. We can clearly see that there are still very few places where we have good night quality. These are either uninhabited areas, in the mountains for example; or areas with a very low population density, the “diagonal of the void”, as it is called in France. All the communes are much too enlightened compared to what is the reality of the biological rhythm that we need. Hence the importance of reducing the amount of light in all municipalities. But for that, we need awareness on a national scale. In fact, if a municipality acts at best, but all its surrounding municipalities do nothing or increase the light sources, its effort will be greatly reduced. In other words, a holistic approach is needed.
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