Starlight declaration welcomed
24 May 2007
STARLIGHT DECLARATION WELCOMED
The Starlight Declaration, from an international conference held on La Palma in the Canary Islands at the end of April has been welcomed by the Green Party as a comprehensive and far reaching statement of the need to protect the sky in its own right, as part of our shared global environment.
The conference and the forthcoming 2009 International Year of Astronomy are being supported by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (1)
James Abbott, Green Party Spokesperson on Space Issues and Climate Change said
"All over the world, the stars are literally going out as the skies get ever brighter due to light pollution. This is not just a problem for astronomers, it is a symptom of ever increasing use of energy and ever more wasteful use of energy, which are both contributing to accelerating climate change.
"Of course lights are needed, but they can be designed to be efficient and shine where and when needed, and not into the sky. The Starlight Declaration calls on Governments to take urgent action to protect the night sky just as much as they should protect any other part of our environment. It draws together the need to do this in terms of sustainable energy use, impacts on wildlife, astronomy - and not least education - if the probelm of wasted light continues to get worse, children will not be able to see and learn about the sky at first hand. Already in the UK over 80% of people cannot even see our own galaxy, the Milky Way, due to light pollution.
"We are constantly being told to go green and save energy, and rightly so. But the blind spot in policy and practice is exterior lighting, the use of which is being increased all the time with little thought of its environmental impact. Using modern designs and technology, it is perfectly possible to provide adequate lighting whilst reducing light pollution and helping to combat climate change. The Starlight Declaration is an excellent step towards that goal and the UK Government should act on it immediately, instead of dragging its heels on this issue as it has been doing for years."
