La Palma's Starlight Reserve: Protecting the Night Sky as Cultural Heritage

The Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands has become a global model for combating light pollution, having established the world's first Starlight certification in 2012. The island's night sky is protected by Spain's Ley del cielo (Law 31/1988), which mandates downward-facing LED streetlights, restricts aircraft overflights, and limits nighttime flights. La Palma hosts the Gran Telescopio Canarias (10.4-meter segmented mirror) and the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (3.58-meter active optics). The Starlight certification, a joint initiative of UNESCO, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), originated from the 2007 Declaration of La Palma. Astronomer Elena Nordio, a certified Starlight guide, notes that astrotourism has been thriving on the island for a decade. In Italy, the first Starlight Stellar Park was established in Valle d'Aosta in 2020, but a national law against light pollution is still lacking. Researcher Fabio Falchi, president of Associazione Cielobuio, highlights that Italy produces three times more light per capita than Germany, disproving the link between economic development and light pollution. The European Parliament has urged the European Commission to set limits on light pollution within the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.