Planning Sustainable Lighting for Biodiversity and Society

The lecture series “CROSS-PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE IN SOCIETY” brings together experts from the humanities and social sciences on one hand, and from ecology and environmental studies on the other, to explore major environmental issues and broaden perspectives toward an interdisciplinary approach.

Should we keep the lights on at night for residents’ comfort and safety, or turn them off to preserve biodiversity and save energy? This dilemma dominates the discussion and leads to a dichotomous view of the problem posed by light pollution: turn them on or turn them off?

However, this is not the right way to frame the debate. To effectively address light pollution, we must ask ourselves for whom we are providing light, where we are providing it, for what purposes and at what times, at what intensity, and what impacts it has on human and non-human life.

This seminar aims to explore the issues surrounding nighttime lighting from ecological, social, energy, and health perspectives. Léa MARITON will present the environmental challenges of preserving darkness and reducing light pollution. Léa TARDIEUwill then discuss planning sustainable lighting for biodiversity and society, using a case study of the Montpellier metropolitan area.

Eight doctoral schools in Occitanie (ED58, ED60, and Gaïa in Montpellier; SEVAB and SDU2E in Toulouse; ED305 and ED544 in Perpignan; and ED Risques et société in Nîmes) offer this program to their doctoral students as part of their degree program (registration required via ADUM).