Astronomers have designed an online tool which for the first time allows members of the public to look up what steps their local Member of Parliament is taking to combat light pollution.
 
Through the tool, designed by Go Stargazing astronomy website, anyone can search for their MP using a postcode to determine whether their representative is affiliated with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Dark Skies, a group that has called on the government to implement new legislation to control and mitigate light pollution across the UK.
 
The influential cross-party coalition of parliamentarians has attracted over 30 members since being set up last year, and says there are “big gaps” in the current legal framework and planning permission processes in the UK in terms of regulating light pollution.
 
Neill Sanders from Go Stargazing said: “Light pollution affects not only our enjoyment of the night skies but our overall health and well being too. By encouraging your MP to join the APPG for Dark Skies you will help strengthen their voice in Parliament and, in turn, introduce legislation that will help protect our natural environment for generations to come.”

Andrew Griffith MP, who founded of the parliamentary Dark Skies group and whose constituency of Arundel and South Downs contains one of the UK’s International Dark Sky Reserves, has previously called for special recognition of the UK’s dark skies.

Andrew said: “This is an excellent tool by Go Stargazing which will help build the growing clamour amongst parliamentarians and their constituents that new development, bad lighting and ‘horizon pollution’ are an increasing threat to our naturally dark skies.”

Please ask your MP to join the dark skies group

To use the tool and find out about the group’s membership, visit: https://gostargazing.co.uk/appg-for-dark-skies/

Image above: Derwentwater by Alan Graham