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Kenya

[artificial light at night] affects insects can help conservationists Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory
reduce or eliminate one of the major drivers of insect declines,“ it Species. “It can stall the recovery of threatened species and interfere
says. with their ability to undertake long-distance migrations, reduce
breeding success and their chances of survival. Light pollution is a
With artificial light increasing by around 2 per cent per year growing phenomenon which needs to be considered in conservation
globally, light pollution has become a pertinent issue. At the efforts and which can be avoided or minimized through nature-
Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals thirteenth friendly lighting design and management.”
meeting of the Conference of Parties (CMS COP13) which took
place in Gandhinagar, India from 17 to 22 February 2020, delegates Managing the impact of artificial light
considered the topic for the first time following draft resolutions
submitted independently by the European Union and Australia. New proposed guidelines drafted by the Government of Australia
Artificial light not only impacts insects. Turtles, seabirds and provide a framework for assessing and managing the impact of
shorebirds, and ecosystems at large, are being affected. artificial light on susceptible wildlife, including migratory species.
For example, they consider wildlife-friendly lighting design and the
Artificial light at night can disorientate adult and hatchling sea management of light sources near protected wildlife. The guidelines
turtles, so they are unable to find the ocean. Birds are also known recognize the potential of conflicting requirements for wildlife
to become disorientated by lights, resulting in higher bird mortality conservation and human safety and the need for a balance between
due to collisions with artificial structures such as buildings. the two. To prevent harm to migratory species, the guidelines
Migratory shorebirds may be exposed to increased predation where propose a multi-step approach. If artificial light is visible outside,
lighting makes them visible. They may also abandon preferable best practice light design should be applied so as not to impact
roosting sites to avoid lights. nearby habitats of threatened species. An environmental impact
assessment should consider negative effects before artificial light
“Light pollution can disrupt critical behaviour in wildlife,“ says sources are installed.

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