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The economics of global light pollution

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  • Gallaway, Terrel
  • Olsen, Reed N.
  • Mitchell, David M.

Abstract

This paper is the first analysis of the economic factors of global light pollution. Light pollution commonly refers to excessive or obtrusive artificial light caused by bad lighting design. Light pollution generates significant costs including negative impacts on wildlife, health, astronomy, and wasted energy--which in the U.S. amounts to nearly 7Â billion dollars annually. Current scientific models of light pollution are purely population based. The current paper utilizes unique remote sensing data and economic data from the World Bank to quantify the economic causes of light pollution globally. Fractional logit models show that, similar to other types of pollution, both population and GDP are significant explanatory variables.

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  • Gallaway, Terrel & Olsen, Reed N. & Mitchell, David M., 2010. "The economics of global light pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 658-665, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:69:y:2010:i:3:p:658-665
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    15. Reed N. Olsen & Terrel Gallaway & David Mitchell, 2014. "Modelling US light pollution," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(6), pages 883-903, June.
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    20. Salvador Bará & Raul C. Lima & Jaime Zamorano, 2019. "Monitoring Long-Term Trends in the Anthropogenic Night Sky Brightness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-14, May.
    21. Xueting Jin & Yu Li & Jinzhou Zhang & Ji Zheng & Huiping Liu, 2017. "An Approach to Evaluating Light Pollution in Residential Zones: A Case Study of Beijing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, April.
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