The LIFE Natura@night project, coordinated by the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA), is transforming the night lighting of the archipelagos of Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands. In three years, the initiative has allowed energy savings of up to 60% in public lighting and a concrete contribution to the conservation of biodiversity.
Under the motto ‘For a more lively night’, since 2022, the project has brought together 13 partners from the three archipelagos in a joint effort to combat light pollution, a silent but growing threat to biodiversity, human health, and economic sustainability.
As part of this collaboration, six new municipalities’ Lighting Master Plans (CIDP) were implemented; fundamental tools to ensure efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly lighting. The plans cover the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Funchal and Santana (Madeira), Santa Cruz da Graciosa (Azores), and Mogán and Buenavista del Norte (Canary Islands).
CIDPs are essential technical tools to ensure sustainable management of night light, reconciling safety, energy efficiency, and biodiversity protection, and are in the process of creating regulations based on these guidelines.
In the municipalities covered, several public lighting streets were identified, and more efficient and biodiversity-friendly lighting was installed. In just a few months, energy savings of up to 60% and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions were noticed.
Each resident of these archipelagos pays about 30 euros per year for wasted light energy. The cost is environmental, economic, and humanity-wide. “It’s time to rethink the way we light up the world.” States Tiago Dias, TĂ©cnico de Conservação Marinha da SPEA Madeira.
Light pollution can interfere with essential biological rhythms, endangering nocturnal species and their habitats.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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