Satellite photos indicate the extent to which light pollution is prevalent in the Maltese islands.
The project announced in the Budget last month to install intelligent street lighting initially in Gozo and subsequently in Malta will be partially address this issue.
The intelligent street lighting will adjust or even switch off street lighting in those streets which are not in use during those same hours.
In Malta and Gozo we have over 60,000 street lights. Dimming or switching off these lights will lead to significant savings, decrease energy consumption, decrease power station emissions as well as decrease substantially light pollution.
Outside the Development Zones it will also lead to additional benefits of reducing impacts on wildlife.
This is a positive step and must be duly acknowledged.
Thanks for the article Carmel.
It makes a lot of sense. I believe we also need some legislations in place with regards to lights on ODZ areas, as we have been seeing an increase in extensive insensitive lighting creating lots of pollution in places where a few years ago used to be complete darkness.