1. Issues

1.1 Regulations based on the use of light points and very little on their context

France is one of the few countries in the world to have regulations limiting light pollution, and these are particularly ambitious. It was during the Grenelle Environment Forum that the preservation of the nocturnal environment found its legislative basis in the Environment Code. Various decrees and orders have since been issued.

The basic principle underlying French regulations is an approach based on uses – also referred to as "installation categories" –, listed in Decree no. 2011-831 published in 2011. As each lighting system is deemed to have a specific use, we recognize, for example, lighting systems designed to ensure the safety of people or property (category a), lighting...