Before May 2026, I had never considered light pollution as a topic considerably relevant to cohesion policies and to the work done by Interreg in general. Of course, since I grew up in one of the most polluted regions of Europe, the Pianura Padana (Emilia Romagna, northern Italy), I never had the impression that gas emissions and the massive presence of artificial lights could define our life’s quality standards more than what they always did.
And when I had the chance to apply as a IVY volunteer for the project DARKERSKY4CE, what intrigued me the most was indeed the opportunity to finally get to know the topic of light pollution in the most detailed way possible, since the leading partner is INAF, the National Institute of Astrophysics of Piedmont.
At the beginning, my curiosity took over the possibility of not feeling completely comfortable with such a scientific approach to the matter. Indeed, my experiences so far, both educational and professional, are not directly linked to this specific field. What intrigued me about DARKERSKY4CE has been the fact that in reality, after the first week at INAF I realized how the project has been oriented to a wider audience, especially for those who do not necessarily “speak science”.
Therefore, I have discovered how the partners have been implicated in two main ways. In fact, DARKERSKY4CE’s aim is to tackle the increasingly growing problem of light pollution over Central Europe, how to preserve areas that are still not affected by it, and how to raise the population’s general awareness surrounding this important topic.
Of course other research centers such as INAF have been entrusted with addressing more specific issues, for instance measuring the presence of artificial lights effectively through the use of specific measurement tools (SQM, or Sky Quality Meter), and evaluating how this light could affect human but also animal quality of life.
It is these aspects that the other partners are focusing their efforts in organizing dissemination and cultural events, creating or improving spaces where it is still possible to enjoy a starry sky.
Among these two types of works required from the partners, at INAF my experience consists mainly in managing all the relational aspects, coordinating the effort related to the documentability of the single actions completed and their results, how they are applicable and in the end reproducible over different territories that could possibly be transformed into light-free areas, or simply improve the condition of daily citizens’ lives.
Moreover, I have been involved also in communication aspects of the project’s dissemination. I feel grateful for the opportunity this institution has given to me, and I’m glad that I’m part, even in a small way, of this effort to focus on highlighting the issue of light pollution over Central Europe.
– Davide, IVY Project Partner at INAF Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica – National Institute for Astrophysics for the Interreg Central Europe project DARKERSKY4CE – Strategic Transnational Approach to Reduce Light pollution in Central Europe
