ADRISKY – Advancing Light Pollution Mitigation for Biodiversity and Nocturnal Habitats Conservation in the Adriatic-Ionian Region

It is with great pleasure that we inform you that the implementation of the project ADRISKY - "Advancing Light Pollution Mitigation for Biodiversity and Nocturnal Habitats Conservation in the Adriatic-Ionian Region" has begun.

The project is being implemented over a period of three years starting on September 1, 2024 and is financed through the Interreg IPA ADRION program of the European Union. This international project brings together nine partners from six countries, three countries of the European Union - Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, as well as three beneficiary countries of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) - Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. The Regional Agency for Development and European Integration, Belgrade, is a partner in the project.

The overall goal of the project is to mitigate light pollution and preserve natural darkness in the Adriatic-Ionian region. The project is aimed at providing public policy instruments, knowledge and tools for interested parties, which should contribute to a significant reduction of light pollution and the restoration of dark zones and thereby affect the improvement of the living conditions of nocturnal flora and fauna, biodiversity and ecosystems in the observed zones. a framework consisting of a plan for the inclusion of stakeholders in project activities, as well as the creation of a catalog of best practices for light pollution mitigation,

- creation of a territorial action plan for light pollution mitigation as a public policy instrument,

- creation of an action plan for pilot activities and the implementation of pilot activities for light pollution mitigation in seven established zones on the territory of partner countries,

- connecting science, public policy and practice through the creation of catalogs and methods for effective mitigation light pollution, as and the creation of a comprehensive report with recommendations for decision-makers in the Adriatic-Ionian region.

In the previous six months, project partners have successfully created a Catalog of best practices for mitigating light pollution of night ecosystems.

The ADRISKY project provides significant opportunities for cooperation, both for representatives of public, research and academic institutions, as well as for representatives of the private sector, with a special emphasis on:

- decision makers in the sphere public policy - representatives of regional and local institutions in the field of environmental protection. Through the project and proposals for measures and tools, these institutions will be able to make useful decisions in mitigating light pollution in their territory,

- citizens' associations - civil society organizations that deal with raising awareness about the need to protect the environment and especially the need to reduce light pollution. The project provides them with a platform for stronger involvement of the local community in the preservation of the night ecosystem.

- representatives of the local community - kindergartens, primary and secondary schools - who can use the results of project activities to raise awareness and additional education of children and citizens about the problem and ways to mitigate light pollution,

- research and academic institutions - institutes and faculties - which through project activities will get the opportunity to actively participate in the development of recommendations for decision-makers, as well as mitigation measures and tools of light pollution.

- the MSME sector - which with their activities contribute to the light pollution of night ecosystems through cooperation on the project will learn about possible methods of mitigating pollution without affecting their business activities, while increasing their social responsibility towards the community in which they operate.