Project Spotlight: PLAN-B Update

The consortium meeting in Leipzig in February 2025 hosted a series of talks and workshops with research communities and stakeholders to discuss the details of the project and their involvement in monitoring biodiversity affected by light and noise pollution, the regulatory developments that aim to minimise them, and the relationships between researchers, ecologists and business that enable sustainable and environmentally friendly lighting and sound designs.

In this direction, a stimulating seminar with our colleagues from i-Div took place, exploring opportunities to integrate light and noise pollution into broader environmental monitoring frameworks. 

Another interesting session with I-Div researchers was held to connect nature, human well-being, and biodiversity monitoring with our light and noise pollution tackle plan, discussing data-sharing opportunities to enhance European-wide biodiversity assessments and the historical spread of environmental pollutants.

The consortium meetings have also served to strengthen ties with the municipalities involved in the project's pilot activities. Stakeholders from organisations such as the City of Gdańsk (Tomasz Hoppe), Snowdonia National Park Authority (Danielle Robertson), the Vlaamse overheid (Stijn Vanderheiden), Regional Landscape Scheldt-Durme, WSP in the UK (Stuart Morton), and others joined the discussion, focused on the impacts of light and noise pollution, the challenges faced in addressing these issues, and the path forward for stronger collaboration.

Finally, our sister project AquaPlan coordinator, Elena Maggi, presented the progress made by the project in its first year of life, with special emphasis on the first map of European aquatic habitats with both light and noise pollution revealed, one of its first milestones achieved.

The PLAN-B network is consolidated thanks to the participation of all these actors, projects, researchers and citizens who seek to improve light and noise pollution in European ecosystems.

PLAN-B is an EU funded (Horizon Europe) project.