Earth gets brighter every year but progression is volatile, study finds
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- Earth saw a net 16% increase in artificial night‑time light between 2014‑2022, while overall radiance jumped 34% due to regional dimming.
- France experienced a 33% drop in night‑light after LED‑efficiency policies, contributing to Europe’s overall dimming.
- Venezuela lost more than 26% of its night‑time illumination as its economy collapsed.
- China continued brightening, leading the continent’s surge in night‑time light growth.
- Ukraine shows visible night‑time light signatures from the Russia‑Ukraine war, echoing earlier reports of civilian casualties.
Why it matters: European cities benefit from a 33% drop in night‑light, cutting lighting costs and improving night‑sky quality, while Chinese utilities face a 16% surge in demand, boosting electricity sales and emissions.
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