Dear ladies and gentlemen,
It is my great honor to welcome you today on behalf of the Czech Republic here in Prague as well as greet everyone online for the conference Light Pollution 2024.
We have gathered here, in the beautiful building of The Czech Academy of Sciences, to discuss and focus our attention at the issue of light pollution, which affects nature and people to the extent we do not yet fully comprehend.
Apart from being a member of Czech Senate, I’m also the director of Brno Observatory and Planetarium. – so, trust me, I do value the natural darkness!
Natural darkness has the same value as clean water, air or soil, or stable climate. More than half of all mammals and insects, and most of amphibians, need a nocturnal environment.
If we can reduce lighting in places and at times where there is no reason or necessity for it, we will not only reduce the burden on the environment and health, but also, we will save money and energy in times of energy and security crisis.
We have to say again and again, that reducing light pollution means protecting biodiversity and habitats while contributing to mitigation of climate change and decreasing production of other pollutants associated with energy production.
Our goal here at this conference is to provide a space for open discussion, and to learn about progress and new projects which might help us find a way how to tackle light pollution.
The Czech Republic restarted its work on light pollution in 2017, when an inter-ministerial working group was set up. This group prepared material for the Government of the Czech Republic on the effects of light pollution and the absence of a solution to this problem. It was followed with an action plan on:
– Research and awareness raising
– Legislation
– Technical standards
– Public support schemes
In 2017 Act No. 114/1992 on Nature and Landscape Protection was updated, setting out the conditions for introducing light sources into national parks in order to prevent light pollution. Nowadays we are working on further update of the Nature and Landscape protection act adding explicitly protection from the light pollution.
Since 2017, rules for reducing light pollution have been also included in state financial support for the modernization of lighting systems. Only lights 2700 K and lower are currently eligible for the subsidy.
In 2023, a national Technical standard ČSN 36 0459 – Limitation of undesirable effects of outdoor lighting was published.
Following the update on the Building Act in 2023 with inclusion of the negative effects of light pollution, the Implementing Decree is being prepared, which will refer to technical parameters of outdoor lighting installations.
There are also 4 areas of dark sky in the Czech Republic (Bystřická, Manětínská, Jizerská and Beskydská) which help to raise awareness as well as several Lighting Manuals with recommendation for public lighting as well as for private entities or architecture lighting.
As a senator, I support and follow the topic of light pollution since 2020 when I initiated a public hearing in Czech parliament called the government to action. In 2022, during the Czech presidency of the EU Council, we hosted the CZ PRES workshop on light pollution at Brno observatory.
I am glad that the Ministry of the environment raise this topic once again through this event and through the format of Visegrad 4+ and that Light pollution will be discussed also in the ministerial format in Brno next week on March 12.
I consider it very important to talk about European wide approach towards light pollution before elections to the European parliament and before new European Commission takes the office.
I’m happy that there are more conferences on light pollution to come this year, for example the 16th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky in Groningen, Netherlands next week, or the Conference on Light Pollution: Theory, Modelling and Measurements in Altmuenster, Austria in July.
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Sharing of information, cooperation, as well as determination and awareness raising amongst society and also amongst legislators and national representatives are the main tools for accomplishing our goal.
Thank you for coming to Prague, thank you for joining us online and I hope the community of people working on solutions to the light pollution will only grow.
Enjoy the conference.