An international study has revealed that light pollution on the planet increased by 16% between 2014 and 2022, based on satellite images analyzed by scientists from various institutions.
The growth was more pronounced in developing countries such as India, China, and several regions of Africa, where the expansion of electrical grids accompanies economic and urban advancement.
Conversely, some areas recorded a decrease in artificial nighttime lighting, influenced by energy efficiency policies, armed conflicts, and natural disasters.
The study, led by Zhe Zhu, a researcher at the University of Connecticut, USA, highlighted that while the Earth’s global brightness increases, darkening zones are also expanding, especially in Europe.
In France, for instance, nighttime lighting was reduced by 33%, a result of government measures aimed at energy savings, according to data gathered by the research team.
Another notable case is Ukraine, which faced a significant drop in artificial light following the Russian invasion in 2022, due to the conflict’s impact on electrical infrastructure.
The data used in the analysis came from NASA’s Black Marble project, which processes measurements from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).
These instruments capture a wide range of light signals but have limitations in detecting short wavelengths, such as the blue light emitted by some LED sources.
This technical limitation may underestimate the real increase in nighttime brightness in urban areas that have adopted this lighting technology.
While light pollution is a growing concern due to its negative effects on human sleep and the biological cycles of plants and animals, the increase in lighting in certain regions is interpreted as an indicator of development.
Zhe Zhu noted that expanded access to electricity, reflected in nighttime brightness, often signals greater economic activity and improved living conditions in areas previously lacking infrastructure.
This duality between progress and environmental impact is one of the central points of the research.
The study was published in the journal Nature on April 8, 2026, providing a detailed analysis of the balance between technological development and the environmental challenges associated with artificial light.
More information on the methodology and results can be found on the Nature portal, which has made the full article available.
The research underscores the need for global policies that reconcile economic growth with the mitigation of ecological impacts, especially in rapidly urbanizing nations.
The researchers also warn of the importance of more precise monitoring technologies capable of capturing the full spectrum of artificial light, so that data accurately reflect the dynamics of light pollution.
Meanwhile, the contrast between regions that light up and those that darken reflects the inequalities and challenges of the 21st century, from economic advances to humanitarian and environmental crises.
With information from space.com.
Original published at O Cafezinho.