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On 30 January 2025, the Royal Astronomical Society will hold a free one-day conference on Light Pollution and its Impacts at our offices in Burlington House, London.

The conference will have multiple sessions from invited speakers, with representation from organisations including the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dark Skies, Buglife, CPRE, Dark Skies Cumbria, Dark Sky UK and Dark Sky International.

Sessions will cover topics such as policy and regulation, the environment and biodiversity, and human health. We will explore approaches to effectively tackling light pollution, looking at the current regulatory landscape in the UK, opportunities for improvement, local interventions, and best practices here and from elsewhere in the world.

Invited speakers include: 

• Andrew Griffith MP (Co-chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dark Skies and former Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation)
• Dani Robertson (Dark Sky Officer, Prosiect Nos Partnership)
• David Smith (Advocacy and Social Change Manager, Buglife)
• Jack Ellerby (Cumbria Dark Skies Officer, Friends of the Lake District)
• Anna Levin (Author, Dark Skies)
• Prof. Tim Smyth (Plymouth Marine Laboratory) 
• Yana Yakushina (Space Court Foundation) 
• Prof. Kevin Gaston (University of Exeter/Dark Sky International) 
• Prof. Christopher Barnes (University of Derby) 
• Emma Marrington (CPRE) 
• Roy Alexander (Dark Skies UK) 
• Dan Oakley (Darkscape Consulting) 
• Duncan Wise (Northumberland National Park) 

By highlighting the environmental, economic, and public health impacts of light pollution, as well as its effects on astronomy, the meeting aims to equip attendees with the tools to craft effective policies and practices that balance human needs with protection of the night sky and the natural environment.

We will soon share the official schedule for the day and the link for registration. Anyone with an interest in light pollution is welcome to attend, but for now do please mark this date in your diaries.

Programme: 

This conference will explore approaches to tackle the growing issues threatening the nocturnal environment and night sky. The conference will focus on current regulatory frameworks in the UK, opportunities for improvement, local interventions, and international best practices. By highlighting the environmental, economic, and public health impacts of light pollution, the summit will equip attendees with the tools to craft effective policies and practices that balance human needs with environmental protection.

Welcome and introduction (9.00-9.15am) - RAS APPG

• Opening: Stephen Benn (Viscount Stansgate)

Political Landscape & regulation (9.15am-10.15am) - Chair: Marieta Valdivia Lefort

1. Yana Yakushina (Space Court Foundation)
2. David Smith (Buglife)

Coffee Break (30min)

Nature and environmental impact (10.45am-12.15pm) - Chair: Megan Eaves

1. Tim Smyth (Plymouth Marine Laboratory)
2. David Smith (Buglife)
3. Kevin Gaston (DarkSky Int'l)
4. Dani Robertson (Prosiect Nos Partnership)

Lunch break (12.15pm-1pm)

Human health (1pm-2.10pm) - Chair: (TBC)

1. Robert A E Fosbury 
2. Christopher Barnes (University of Derby) 
3. Anna Levin (Author, Dark Skies)

Case Studies I (2.10pm-2.40pm) - Chair: Robert Massey

1. Roy Alexander (Dark Skies UK)
2. Emma Marrington and Yolande Watson (CPRE)
3. Jack Ellerby (Cumbria Dark Skies Officer, Friends of the Lake District)

Coffee Break (30min)

Case Studies II (3.10pm-4.00pm) - Chair: Robert Massey

4. Dan Oakley (Darkscape Consulting)
5. Duncan Wise (Northumberland National Park) 

Final plenary and closure - RAS APPG (4.00pm-4.30pm)

• Closure and chair: Andrew Griffith MP

We hope you can join us that day!

Marieta Valdivia Lefort, Policy and Diversity Officer, Royal Astronomical Society

Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director, Royal Astronomical Society