An event shedding light on light pollution

In order to raise awareness among local actors of the advantages of reducing lighting and to help them take action, Grenoble Alpes Metropole, the Chartreuse Regional Natural Park, the Vercors Regional Natural Park and the Espace Belledonne have come together to organise the Mois de la Nuit (Month of the Night) to coincide with the national Jour de la Nuit (Day of the Night) campaign, which will take place this year on 9 October 2021.

The aims of this event are as follows: to promote the discovery and protection of the night sky, to raise awareness of the problem of light pollution and the existing alternatives, and to highlight the potential energy savings linked to lighting and its rational use.
Observations of the stars, night photography lessons, night-time walks, conferences, screenings, film debates, night-time story-telling, scientific workshops, etc. From 1 to 31 October, the Month of the Night event offers a rich programme of activities: dozens of events and unique experiences in the Grenoble Metropole area.

The highlight of the event will take place on Saturday 9 October with the switching off of public lighting, plunging part of the region into darkness, in the early evening only for some municipalities and for the whole night in others !

Detailed programme of the event : https://www.grenoblealpesmetropole.fr/1392-le-mois-de-la-nuit.htm

Shedding light on the Metropole's commitments

For several years now, Grenoble Alpes Metropole, the Chartreuse Regional Natural Park, the Vercors Regional Natural Park and the Espace Belledonne have been working to set up more sustainable public lighting, alongside all kinds of actors (general public, local authorities and private entities). Collaborative work on this subject is vital, as lighting does not stop at the borders between areas.

On 1 October 2021, these partners signed an agreement in which they committed to promoting a public lighting policy and the "organisation of lighting" to meet the safety needs of users while making it possible, over time, to set up reduced, sustainable and high-quality public lighting.

At the same time, in 2020 Grenoble Alpes Metropole laid down the key principles concerning public lighting for the region, which aims to develop tools and actions with all interested local authorities in order to :

• generate energy savings
The estimated financial savings at Metropolitan level are €21-38 million for the period 2020-2035.

• protect biodiversity
Light pollution contributes to the decline in biodiversity by disrupting the biological cycles of fauna and flora. The goal is therefore to protect natural, agricultural and forestry areas and to reinforce green corridors.

• be able to observe the stars
Lighting is necessary to ensure road safety and the safety of local inhabitants. However, this systematic public lighting is not neutral and the loss of the night sky can have consequences on human health and disrupt circadian rhythms.

This has been broken down into three concrete goals :
• Reduce the energy consumed by public lighting by 60%.
• Increase the number of light sources switched off at night from 10% to 25% and obtain a general reduction in the intensity of the remaining light sources.
• Apply specific recommendations regarding the protection of biodiversity in all natural, agricultural and forestry zones, i.e. around 20% of public lighting stock within the Metropole.