“Night under a different light” project

Thematic sectors:

Sensitive high mountain ecosystems

Energy

Health

Urban planning

Political sectors EU:

Biodiversity, Health, Infrastructure, Urban

Geographic characterisation - Biogeographic region:

Atlantic

Project duration:

01/04/2021 - 30/04/2023

Adaptation initiative typology:

Soft or non-structural measures

Type of climate impact:

Impacts on biodiversity

Heat waves and other extreme events

Droughts

Description of the case study

The Pays de Béarn has again taken up the theme of light pollution, launching the "La Nuit sous un Autre Jour" project that consists of:
- Producing cartography on lighting in Béarn: this first stage allows vulnerable sectors to be identified, where the loss of biodiversity and light pollution is a reality.
- Supporting 40 volunteer municipalities that want to optimise their lighting, prioritising sectors previously identified as at risk: this support consists of an inventory of their public lighting and a list of recommendations to optimise it from an energy, biodiversity, health, and sky quality perspective.
- Communication and awareness-raising activities, including public events during the summer of 2022.

Challenges :

1. Having a cross-cutting focus on light and encouraging systematic planning in the definition of solutions
2. Reducing public lighting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption.
3. Participating in the restoration of black screens, allowing for a better adaptation of nocturnal species to climate change.

Objectives :

As of now, the project is found to be in the launch phase: a tour through the Béarn region is being rolled out with a presentation of the project to elected officials and a collection of practices, motivations, and obstacles in terms of public lighting and light pollution.

Solutions :

In September 2021, there were:
• 100 questionnaires on lighting practices in 379 Béarn municipalities
• The execution of 3 Tour des territoires meetings. Four have been scheduled for September and October 2021.

Importance and relevance of the adaptation :

The case has been developed and applied mainly through the goals of other policies not relating to adaptation, but ones that take into account climate change adaptation aspects.

Key words :

Light pollution

lighting

black screen

Region and / or city:

New Aquitaine

Countries involved:

France

Geographical governance level :

Regional

Organisations involved :

Pays de Béarn and its members, SDEPA, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region

Additional Information

Stakeholder participation :

Pays de Béarn and its members, SDEPA, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region

Success and limiting factors :

• Mobilising all actors affected by the light pollution problem
Limiting factors:
• Adopting a cross-cutting focus on the topic

Cost-benefit analysis :

Highlighting the public lighting renovation work’s return on investment through the resulting energy savings.

Legal aspects :

The project has the support of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region within the framework of its “Nature and Transitions” open call for projects, and is part of the Region’s aim of becoming a star region (objective included in SRADDET).

Implementation period :

01/04/2021 - 30/04/2023 (2 years - in progress)