Description
Description (EN): A satellite image of night-time Europe shows a continent that is covered in light. Over 85% of the EU territory is subject to some degree of artificial illumination. This increasing loss of natural darkness has a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems and on the quality of nature and the environment. Regions across Europe must intensify their policy efforts to reduce light pollution and protect areas with naturally dark night skies to help preserve their nature and vulnerable landscapes and prevent biodiversity loss.
At the same time there are opportunities for sustainable economic development linked to the protection of dark skies. Several EU regions already demonstrate this by creating areas where the dark sky has a protected status and successfully positioning this as an asset to develop new eco-tourism services.
In the Night Light project regional authorities from The Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, Luxemburg, Denmark, Slovenia and Italy join forces to improve their regional policies for the prevention of light pollution, preservation of dark skies and the sustainable exploitation of dark sky places. The project will introduce packages of regional policy measures for each of the partner regions that will result in a lasting reduction of light pollution, the designation of nature areas where dark skies are protected and the introduction of new services and facilities to attract eco-tourism to these dark sky areas.
Read more Achievements (EN): In terms of activities, the project has organised a total of 62 policy learning events. It has also identified 15 good practices, produced 8 action plans and led to the increased capacity of 67 people. In terms of results, the project has succeeded in improving 10 regional development policies for a total amount of funds influenced of EUR 11,460,204.
00.
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Website: https://www.interregeurope.eu/interreg-europe-2014-2020
Expected Results (EN): The overall objective is to improve and develop regional policies for the prevention of light pollution, the preservation of dark skies and the sustainable valorisation and exploitation of dark sky places, in particular in nature areas and vulnerable landscapes.
In support of this overall objective, the project addresses the following operational sub-objectives:
- Identify and exchange regional policy tools, practices and projects related to lighting technology, education and mobilisation of regional communities and actors, protecting ‘dark sky’ places and sustainable exploitation through eco-/astro tourism.
- Develop concrete, realistic, stakeholder-supported action plans for each region, to introduce a package of regional policy tools, practices and projects in their respective regional policies, that will result in reduction of light pollution and the protection and sustainable use of dark sky places.
- To disseminate the practices and experiences gained during the project to other EU regions.
Read more Expected Outputs (EN): OUTPUTS:
Exchange of experience :
8 Regional stakeholder groups created, 48 regional stakeholder group meetings (2/year per region in phase 1).
1 Peer Review toolkit, 8 Peer Reviews (1 in each partner region), 8 Peer Review reports,
1 Directory of policies, practices and tools, that identifies 16 good practices (2 per partner region).
6 Interregional Policy Learning Seminars.
1 Lessons and Recommendations Guide.
8 Policies addressed.
8 Regional Action Plans for policy improvement.
140 people with increased professional capacity (based on 5 partner staff members and 12 regional stakeholder group members per region on average).
Communication & Dissemination:
1 Communication Strategy.
1 Website (integrated in Interreg Europe website).
1 Project visual identity, 1 Project poster (8 languages), 1 Set of roll-up banners.
8 Digital newsletters (2 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2; sent to 1500 individual recipients each) .
1 Brochure (4000 copies).
15 Press releases, 80 appearances in press/media.
2 Project conferences for dissemination of achievements: 1 mid-term conference at end of phase 1 (100 participants), 1 final conference in phase 2 (150 participants).
1000 visits/semester of project website (average).
Project management:
10 Steering Group meetings (2-3 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2).
1 Financial handbook for the partners.
1 Partnership agreement.
8 Progress reports (2 per year in phase 1; 1 per year in phase 2) 1 Final report (Phase 2).
RESULTS:
NightLight will result in the improved implementation of 8 regional policy instruments, leading to concrete reductions of light pollution, improved protection of dark night skies and development of eco/astrotourism services. In short, these policies and anticipated improvements are (see Section B for more details):
1. Regional Spatial Plan (Fryslân, NL) - measureable reduction of light pollution in 2021
;
2. Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 (Hadjú-Bihar, HU) - increased nr. of ecotourism visitors to protected Hortobagy Dark Sky Park (=ERDF OP indicator);
3. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 Castilla y León (Avila, ES) - increased nr. of visitors to Gredos Mountains Regional Park (Starlight Reserve)
;
4. Climate Pact Luxemburg (Nature Park Our, LU) - measurable reduction of light pollution in 2021;
5. Regional Growth&Development Strategy Central Denmark Region 20152020 (Samsø, DK) - increased nr. of visitors to Samsø island to newly protected dark sky area;
6. Natura 2000 Management Programme 20152020 Slovenia (BSC Regional Development Agency Gorensjka, SLV) - introduction of dark sky protection in Natura 2000
areas;
7. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 Region Basilicata (Region Basilicata & Matera2019, IT) - introduction of light planning guidelines in regional parks
;
8. Operational Programme ERDF 20142020 and RIS3 Canary Islands (La Palma, ES) - increased nr. of visitors to La Palma Biosphere Reserve.
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Thematic information
Specific Objective:
Improve the implementation of regional development policies and programmes, in particular Investment for Growth and Jobs and, where relevant, ETC programmes, in the field of the protection and development of natural and cultural heritage
Thematic Objective:
(06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:
Investment Priority:
(06c) Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing natural and cultural heritage
Partners (9)
Lead Partner:
Provincie Fryslân
Address:
PO Box 20120, 8900 HM Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.fryslan.frl
Total budget:
EUR 382 273.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 324 932.05
-
Regione Basilicata
-
Name:
Regione Basilicata
Department:
Department programming and finance
Address:
Via Verrastro 4, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Legal status:
public
Website (not verified):
http://www.regionebasilicata.it
Total budget:
EUR 81 850.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 69 572.50
-
Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019
-
Name:
Fondazione Matera-Basilicata 2019
Address:
Palazzotto del Casale- Via Madonna delle Virtù, 75100 Matera, Italy
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.matera-basilicata2019.it
Total budget:
EUR 133 096.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 113 131.60
-
Excmo. Cabildo Insular de La Palma
-
Name:
Excmo. Cabildo Insular de La Palma
Address:
Avenida Marítima 3, 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.cabildodelapalma.es
Total budget:
EUR 166 861.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 141 831.85
-
Diputación de Avila
-
Name:
Diputación de Avila
Department:
European Affairs, Energy, Tourism and Promotion
Address:
Los Canteros, s/n, 5005 Avila, Spain
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.apea.com.es
Total budget:
EUR 169 469.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 144 048.65
-
Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Önkormányzat
-
Name:
Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Önkormányzat
Address:
Piac u. 54., 4024 Debrecen, Hungary
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.hbmo.hu
Total budget:
EUR 192 179.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 163 352.15
-
BSC, Poslovno podporni center d.o.o., Kranj
-
Name:
BSC, Poslovno podporni center d.o.o., Kranj
Address:
Cesta Staneta Žagarja, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia
Legal status:
private
Website:
http://www.bsc-kranj.si
Total budget:
EUR 204 307.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 153 230.25
-
Syndicat pour l'aménagement et la gestion du Parc Naturel de l'Our
-
Name:
Syndicat pour l'aménagement et la gestion du Parc Naturel de l'Our
Address:
12, Parc, L-9836 Hosingen, Luxembourg
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.naturpark-our.lu
Total budget:
EUR 216 348.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 183 895.80
-
Samsø Energiakademi
-
Name:
Samsø Energiakademi
Address:
Strandengen 1, 8305 Samsø, Denmark
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://Energiakademiet.dk
Total budget:
EUR 233 522.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 198 493.70
