Project Spotlight: DARKERSKY4CE Update

Sometimes you get the feeling that you're alone in your efforts to achieve your goals. This often happens dealing with light pollution. An understandable feeling, but sometimes too strong. 

We are not alone, there is life in Europe. 

Bringing together seven partners from six European countries (Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia), the DARKERSKY4CE project seeks to tackle the growing issue of light pollution across Central Europe by reshaping how it is understood and addressed by key stakeholders—policy makers, tourism facilities, tourists, and locals. Its primary objective is to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of light pollution on ecosystems and biodiversity, while promoting the idea that preserving dark skies can become a competitive asset for sustainable development in less urbanized regions.

The project, which began in June 2024, is now entering its crucial phase. 

In the first six months of the project, the partners carried out research at a national and local level to analyse the situation regarding light pollution, laws, organisations working in this field and studies carried out. This resulted in 6 reports that are useful for providing a clear basis for each partner's local work and for comparing the results. 

At the same time, the Dark Skies Sentinel Alliance, a discussion forum to allow the different actors working on light pollution to meet, was formed. The Sentinel Alliance is open to all interested organisations, and you can apply for membership at darkersky4ce@gmail.com.

This is just the beginning. Work is now continuing on the collection of data on light pollution and the enhancement of dark skies, on the development of a transnational strategy for the reduction of light pollution and on the development of the 5 pilot actions that will be needed to create new models of action on issues such as the modification of public lighting, astrotourism, the preservation of natural areas and ecosystems and dialogue between conflicting stakeholders.

In brief, we are not alone in Europe and the collaboration between different projects can only strengthen our common work in favour of a darker sky for a bright future.

The project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.