During the night from Saturday to Sunday, the Federation of Nature and Environment will draw attention to light pollution and energy waste in the Netherlands for the twentieth time. During the Night of Nights, hundreds of companies and municipalities will turn off their building lights and advertising lights. In addition, dark events are held across the country. “Let the dark be dark and discover how beautiful the night is,” is the federation’s call.

“Light pollution has recently been recognized in the scientific community as a possible leading cause of species extinction worldwide,” says Annie van de Pas, director of the Federation of Nature and Environment. “The urgency of action is not yet sufficiently recognised, while we really need to turn the tide now.” According to the federation, the Netherlands is one of the areas in Europe with the highest light pollution.

Vandaag is @nachtvandenacht! The Netherlands is one of the most enlightened countries in the world. Hoe lützlich ons land is, zie je op de nieuwe lichtemissie-kaart met date uit 2023.

Dig #donker is jouw buurt? Is het de laatste 10 jaar bij jou lighter of darker geworden?
@rivm pic.twitter.com/iNUMBBHba4

— Atlas Leefomgeving (@AtlasLO) October 26, 2024

Darkness is not only essential for animals but also important for humans. “Artificial light disrupts our biological clock, which can lead to sleep disorders, depression, obesity, increased stress and breast cancer,” the organization says. “Without dark nights, we lose our balance.”

For example, birds may become disoriented and fly into buildings or die of exhaustion. During bird migration, millions of birds die each year from light pollution from cities, oil rigs and large business groups, explains the Federation of Nature and Environment. “Especially now that the UN Biodiversity Summit is taking place in Colombia, it is important to address the major impact of light pollution on nature and give it the political place it deserves,” according to the organization.

Nighttime activities are organized throughout the Netherlands on Saturday evenings, such as canoe and dark boat tours with explanations of nocturnal nature, climbing in a dark forest, night painting and lectures at local observatories.