The impact of light pollution on our climate is set to be discussed at the COP30 summit in Belém, Brazil, next week.
A workshop on ‘Restoring the night’ is set to be held on 18 November from 11am (Belém time) at the House of Biodiversity and Climate.
Lawyer and researcher Yana Yakushina, writing on LinkedIn, pointed out that this is the first time light pollution has been discussed at the UNFCCC, the United Nations secretariat on climate change that runs the COP events.
Nevertheless, light pollution “directly contributes to climate change through energy waste and air pollution, slowing down natural atmospheric cleansing processes”, she added.
“This event is a major step forward in connecting climate, biodiversity, and other UN political agendas (for example the UN Environment Programme), recognising the night as an integral part of the environment that also deserves restoration,” she said.
The event will cover an introduction to light pollution, how it links to climate change, the environmental impacts of light pollution, and pathways for future regulatory work.
“It’s not yet in the main COP venue, but it’s a huge achievement for our community and a first step towards official recognition of light pollution within intergovernmental climate discussions,” said Yakushina.
The agenda and registration for the event (scroll to 18 November) can be found at: https://www.even3.com.br/casa-da-biodiversidade-belem-612843/
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