Improving regional policies to reduce light pollution and protect and valorise dark night skies

Programme 2014 - 2020 Interreg Europe

Date of latest update: 2023-12-02

Description

Description (EN):

A satellite image of night-time Europe shows a continent that is covered in light. Over 85% of the EU territory is subject to some degree of artificial illumination. This increasing loss of natural darkness has a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems and on the quality of nature and the environment. Regions across Europe must intensify their policy efforts to reduce light pollution and protect areas with naturally dark night skies to help preserve their nature and vulnerable landscapes and prevent biodiversity loss. At the same time there are opportunities for sustainable economic development linked to the protection of dark skies. Several EU regions already demonstrate this by creating areas where the dark sky has a protected status and successfully positioning this as an asset to develop new eco-tourism services. In the Night Light project regional authorities from The Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, Luxemburg, Denmark, Slovenia and Italy join forces to improve their regional policies for the prevention of light pollution, preservation of dark skies and the sustainable exploitation of dark sky places. The project will introduce packages of regional policy measures for each of the partner regions that will result in a lasting reduction of light pollution, the designation of nature areas where dark skies are protected and the introduction of new services and facilities to attract eco-tourism to these dark sky areas.

Achievements (EN):

In terms of activities, the project has organised a total of 62 policy learning events. It has also identified 15 good practices, produced 8 action plans and led to the increased capacity of 67 people. In terms of results, the project has succeeded in improving 10 regional development policies for a total amount of funds influenced of EUR 11,460,204. 00.

Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/interreg-europe-2014-2020

Expected Results (EN):

The overall objective is to improve and develop regional policies for the prevention of light pollution, the preservation of dark skies and the sustainable valorisation and exploitation of dark sky places, in particular in nature areas and vulnerable landscapes. In support of this overall objective, the project addresses the following operational sub-objectives: - Identify and exchange regional policy tools, practices and projects related to lighting technology, education and mobilisation of regional communities and actors, protecting ‘dark sky’ places and sustainable exploitation through eco-/astro tourism. - Develop concrete, realistic, stakeholder-supported action plans for each region, to introduce a package of regional policy tools, practices and projects in their respective regional policies, that will result in reduction of light pollution and the protection and sustainable use of dark sky places. - To disseminate the practices and experiences gained during the project to other EU regions.

Expected Outputs (EN):

OUTPUTS: Exchange of experience : 8 Regional stakeholder groups created, 48 regional stakeholder group meetings (2/year per region in phase 1). 1 Peer Review toolkit, 8 Peer Reviews (1 in each partner region), 8 Peer Review reports, 1 Directory of policies, practices and tools, that identifies 16 good practices (2 per partner region). 6 Interregional Policy Learning Seminars. 1 Lessons and Recommendations Guide. 8 Policies addressed. 8 Regional Action Plans for policy improvement. 140 people with increased professional capacity (based on 5 partner staff members and 12 regional stakeholder group members per region on average). Communication & Dissemination: 1 Communication Strategy. 1 Website (integrated in Interreg Europe website). 1 Project visual identity, 1 Project poster (8 languages), 1 Set of roll-up banners. 8 Digital newsletters (2 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2; sent to 1500 individual recipients each) . 1 Brochure (4000 copies). 15 Press releases, 80 appearances in press/media. 2 Project conferences for dissemination of achievements: 1 mid-term conference at end of phase 1 (100 participants), 1 final conference in phase 2 (150 participants). 1000 visits/semester of project website (average). Project management: 10 Steering Group meetings (2-3 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2). 1 Financial handbook for the partners. 1 Partnership agreement. 8 Progress reports (2 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2) 1 Final report (Phase 2). RESULTS:  NightLight will result in the improved implementation of 8 regional policy instruments, leading to concrete reductions of light pollution, improved protection of dark night skies and development of eco/astrotourism services. In short, these policies and anticipated improvements are (see Section B for more details): 1. Regional Spatial Plan (Fryslân, NL) - measureable reduction of light pollution in 2021 ; 2. Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 (Hadjú-Bihar, HU) - increased nr. of ecotourism visitors to protected Hortobagy Dark Sky Park (=ERDF OP indicator); 3. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 Castilla y León (Avila, ES) - increased nr. of visitors to Gredos Mountains Regional Park (Starlight Reserve) ; 4. Climate Pact Luxemburg (Nature Park Our, LU) - measurable reduction of light pollution in 2021; 5. Regional Growth&Development Strategy Central Denmark Region 20152020 (Samsø, DK) - increased nr. of visitors to Samsø island to newly protected dark sky area; 6. Natura 2000 Management Programme 20152020 Slovenia (BSC Regional Development Agency Gorensjka, SLV) - introduction of dark sky protection in Natura 2000  areas; 7. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 Region Basilicata (Region Basilicata & Matera2019, IT) - introduction of light planning guidelines in regional parks ; 8. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 and RIS3 Canary Islands (La Palma, ES) - increased nr. of visitors to La Palma Biosphere Reserve.

Thematic information

Regional planning and development Waste and pollution

Specific Objective: Improve the implementation of regional development policies and programmes, in particular Investment for Growth and Jobs and, where relevant, ETC programmes, in the field of the protection and development of natural and cultural heritage

Thematic Objective: (06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:

Investment Priority: (06c) Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage

Partners (9)

Lead Partner: Provincie Fryslân

Address: PO Box 20120, 8900 HM Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.fryslan.frl

Total budget: EUR 382 273.00

ERDF budget: EUR 324 932.05

Regione Basilicata

Name: Regione Basilicata

Department: Department programming and finance

Address: Via Verrastro 4, 85100 Potenza, Italy

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.regionebasilicata.it

Total budget: EUR 81 850.00

ERDF budget: EUR 69 572.50

Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019

Name: Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019

Address: Palazzotto del Casale- Via Madonna delle Virtù, 75100 Matera, Italy

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.matera-basilicata2019.it

Total budget: EUR 133 096.00

ERDF budget: EUR 113 131.60

Excmo. Cabildo Insular de La Palma

Name: Excmo. Cabildo Insular de La Palma

Address: Avenida Marítima 3, 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.cabildodelapalma.es

Total budget: EUR 166 861.00

ERDF budget: EUR 141 831.85

Diputación de Avila

Name: Diputación de Avila

Department: European Affairs, Energy, Tourism and Promotion

Address: Los Canteros, s/n, 5005 Avila, Spain

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.apea.com.es

Total budget: EUR 169 469.00

ERDF budget: EUR 144 048.65

Hajdú-Bihar Vármegye Önkormányzata

Name: Hajdú-Bihar Vármegye Önkormányzata

Address: Piac u. 54., 4024 Debrecen, Hungary

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.hbmo.hu

Total budget: EUR 192 179.00

ERDF budget: EUR 163 352.15

BSC, Poslovno podporni center d.o.o., Kranj

Name: BSC, Poslovno podporni center d.o.o., Kranj

Address: Cesta Staneta Žagarja, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.bsc-kranj.si

Total budget: EUR 204 307.00

ERDF budget: EUR 153 230.25

Syndicat pour l'aménagement et la gestion du Parc Naturel de l'Our

Name: Syndicat pour l'aménagement et la gestion du Parc Naturel de l'Our

Address: 12, Parc, L-9836 Hosingen, Luxembourg

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.naturpark-our.lu

Total budget: EUR 216 348.00

ERDF budget: EUR 183 895.80

Samsø Energiakademi Forening

Name: Samsø Energiakademi Forening

Address: Strandengen 1, 8305 Samsø, Denmark

Legal status: public

Website: http://Energiakademiet.dk

Total budget: EUR 233 522.00

ERDF budget: EUR 198 493.70

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Improving regional policies to reduce light pollution and protect and valorise dark night skies

Project acronym: Night Light

Project start date: 2017-01-01

Project end date: 2021-12-31

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 779 905.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 492 488.55

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 492 488.55.

Documents

Documents on this project are listed below, and organised by category. Please note field "Data source", attached to each document. Keep.eu users are free to use these documents as long as they mention the data source and keep.eu.

Reports

Action Plan - Avila County Council, Spain

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan - Gorenjska, Slovenia

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan - Hajdú-Bihar County, Hungary

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-11-19

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan - Province of Fryslân, Netherlands

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2020-03-24

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan for Astrotourism Development and for Light Pollution Prevention

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2021-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan for the Nature Park Our, Luxembourg

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan of La Palma Island Government, Spain

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-12-16

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Action Plan Samsø, Denmark

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2019-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

In-depth assessment report by peers about Hajdú-Bihar County (Hungary)

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2017-12-31

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Videos / films

INTERREG EU Project Night Light video 2020

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2020-01-16

Languages: en

Interreg Night Light project video midterm partnermeeting La Palma

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2020-05-28

Languages: en

Night Light mid term meeting La Palma

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/nightlight/

Publication date: 2024-09-02

Document date: 2020-01-28

Languages: en

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 Interreg Europe

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2023-10-31

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

258 / 258 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

2 084 / 2 085 (99.95%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme.

The financial data featured in keep.eu for this programme, it's projects and its partners is not exact and should be taken as a reference only.

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Improving regional policies to reduce light pollution and protect and valorise dark night skies

Description

Thematic information

Partners (9)

Partners map

Summary

Documents

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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