Michala Garrison / NASA Earth Observatory
The invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for example, caused a significant reduction in nighttime lighting in several European countries.
A study based on data from the NASA project revealed that Global light pollution increased significantly on Earth between 2014 and 2022although unevenly and marked by strong regional fluctuations.
Published in the journal Nature, it analyzed images collected by a network of three satellites, concluding that the Earth’s nighttime radiance grew 34% during this period. At the same time, there was a reduction of luminosity in several regions, compensating nearly 18% of this global increase.
The study, developed by more than 20 researchers, demonstrates that nighttime artificial lighting does not follow a linear growth trajectory, but presents volatile behaviors influenced by social, economic, environmental and geopolitical factors.
According to the authors, 51% of the changes observed occurred in a gradual, mainly associated with urbanization and population growth. However, 35% of the regions analyzed simultaneously registered changes gradual e abrupt, while 14% showed only changes sudden.
Among the main factors identified are natural catastrophes, forest fires, armed conflicts and energy policies, indicates the .
A invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for example, caused a significant reduction in night lighting in several European countriesa consequence of the subsequent energy crisis, restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the adoption of LED technologies. In France, the decrease reached 33%.
On the other hand, the greatest increases in luminosity occurred in China and Indiadriven by rapid urbanization and industrial expansion. The study also highlights that most of the abrupt changes were related to industrial activities and rural electrification processes.
The researchers warn, however, of the need to avoid simplistic interpretations of these data. The increase in nighttime lighting does not necessarily correspond to economic growth, since political, regulatory and environmental factors directly influence the light patterns observed on the planet.
