Speakers call for conservation of dark skies

Say light pollution over the years contributed to loss of night sky quality

ISLAMABAD:

Speakers have called for the preservation of dark skies as natural resource to pass on to the future generations.

Speaking at a webinar titled “light pollution and conservation of the dark skies”organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Managing Director Dr Sardar Mohazzam informed the participants that the NEECA has developed the minimum energy performance standards for LEDs which ultimately lead to conservation of dark skies. “We are also working with manufacturers, assemblers and importers to put lighting standards in place,” he added.

Technical Lead for the Clean Lighting Coalition (CLIC) Michael Scholand shared some insights from the French National Regulation to reduce outdoor light pollution. Michael Marlin, International Astronomical Union, emphasised that “we should take dark skies as a national resource, and it is important to explore the monetary value of the dark skies through astro-tourism”.

SDPI Joint Executive Director Dr Vaqar Ahmed said that “we need to integrate the lightning agenda in economic and fiscal policies. Therefore, we need to step up advocacy, outreach, and policy engagement along with capacity building of the stakeholders in this area as a coalition”.

Founder of Cosmic Tribe and International Astronomical Union Rayan Khan said that “we already have dark skies in Pakistan and we need to preserve it in a way that it can serve as a cultural heritage for our future generations”.

Ministry of Climate Change National Programme Manager Dr Zaigham Abbas said that “we need to involve provincial departments and stakeholders to educate manufacturers along with tourism industry to work on controlling light pollution and conservation of the dark skies in Pakistan.

Sindh Tourism Development Corporation Assistant Director Adil Ahmed said that “we must protect our ecosystems”. Lahore Astronomical Society. President Umair Asim suggested that the best way forward for raising awareness regarding dark skies was to involve public and amateur astronomer communities in related activities.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2022.