The London Assembly is urging the Mayor to put in place London’s first ever light pollution strategy with agreed targets in place to show a true commitment to reducing light pollution in the capital.
The London Assembly Environment Committee has today published its report into light pollution in London, which explains how a lack of a light pollution strategy is impacting London.
The Committee heard from experts on the damage excessive and unnecessary artificial light has on biodiversity and energy consumption.
The investigation into light pollution found that statutory nuisance legislation is not adequate to control light pollution because the criteria it sets is too narrow and focusses only on the impact of light emissions on humans, rather than the environment. At present, there is no national or London city-wide strategy on light pollution, meaning there is no set requirements for monitoring and addressing light pollution.
Like noise, artificial light is addressed within ‘statutory nuisance’ laws under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.[1]
The Committee‘s report into light pollution in London includes six recommendations the Mayor and the Greater London Authority (GLA) should take forward to reduce the impact of light pollution in London.
Recommendations within the report include:
- The Mayor should develop a city-wide strategy on light pollution, which involves making a commitment to reducing light pollution across the capital, monitoring and targets, and raising awareness about the impacts and costs of light pollution among businesses.
- The Mayor should consider curfew times for lights in office buildings and for advertising hoardings, drawing on the examples of several other countries where this has been established.
- The Mayor should show leadership through better lighting design and practice across the GLA estate, including TfL.
- The Mayor should refuse the planning application to develop the MSG sphere in Stratford to prevent light pollution impacts on the surrounding environment and residents.
Zack Polanski AM, Chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee throughout the investigation, said:
“The damage light pollution is causing to our environment is something that has gone unnoticed for far too long. These issues are exacerbated by the fact there is no national strategy in place, and the Mayor has an opportunity here to make a real difference and to set the standard nationally.
“The investigation carried out by the Environment Committee highlighted the damage artificial light can have, and the threat it poses to wildlife and the biodiversity of London.
“We heard from a number of expert panellists throughout our investigation, and the lack of a city-wide light pollution strategy was brought up regularly and highlights the impact a well thought out strategy could have.
“We urge him to seriously consider our recommendations with urgency to improve London’s environment.”
Environment Committee - Light Pollution Report.pdf
Notes to editors
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, ‘Light pollution’, November 2019.
- Light report is attached
- Zack Polanski AM, Chair of the Environment Committee throughout the investigation, is available for interview.
- The report is the view of a majority of the Committee, agreed by the Green, Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups, with the Conservative Group dissenting on recommendation 1 of the report.
- Find out more about the work of the Environment Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Tony Smyth in the Assembly Media Office on 07510 488715. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.