Global Apporaches to Legislation for Light Pollution

Artificial light at night raises regulatory questions. There is a presumption that light at night is beneficial to safety, security and essential to business and sport after dark. However there is a dark side to light at night, as it also creates a broad range of problems. namely risks to human health, ecology, safety and harm to the natural environment, including the night sky. Light pollution is also wasted energy and money. Consequently it raises regulatory questions in the form of whether it should be regulated at all, and if so how, by law or guidance? A growing number of countries now regulate light pollution. Regulation can be done either under energy, human health or environmental controls, or by special regulation addressing all of these problems. This paper will critically evaluate a selection of the different regulatory approaches and suggest best practice.