EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: the issue of light pollution
7.10.2020
Question for written answer E-005515/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Francisco Guerreiro (Verts/ALE)
A strategy to protect and restore biodiversity cannot be complete if it does not contain measures to reduce light pollution that aim to limit its effects on biodiversity loss.
Light pollution is the alteration of natural lighting levels due to artificial light at night. It is increasing rapidly, including outside cities, and there is a pressing need to control and reduce its negative effects. Artificial light at night is a powerful environmental stressor and there is a broad scientific consensus that it poses a threat to biodiversity. Light pollution is specifically known to cause habitat fragmentation, impairing physiology and behaviour in fauna. This also has strong cross-border consequences, given that the effects of light pollution can extend over hundreds of kilometres from the light sources and across Member States’ borders. EU-level legislation is therefore required in order to successfully address the issue.
- 1.Why has the Commission decided not to include explicit mentions to light pollution, where relevant, in its EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030?
- 2.Does the Commission agree that the problem of light pollution and its effects on biodiversity should be addressed as soon as possible at EU level?