Earth grows brighter each year, but uneven global pattern emerges

Earth is becoming brighter year by year, although the trend is not uniform across regions, according to researchers from the University of Connecticut supported by NASA.

Scientists analysed more than 1.1 million satellite images over a nine-year period and found that artificial lighting increased by 16% between 2014 and 2022, The Guardian reports. 

However, the dynamics vary significantly by region, with some areas becoming brighter while others show a clear decline.

The changes were influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crises, and energy-saving measures. In Europe, overall lighting levels declined due to improved energy efficiency, while in Venezuela nighttime light dropped by more than a quarter amid economic difficulties. Lockdowns, industrial slowdowns, and reduced tourism also temporarily darkened many countries, and the war between Russia and Ukraine left a visible imprint on satellite imagery.

At the same time, Asia remains the main driver of growth, with increasing illumination in China and northern India linked to urbanisation. In the United States, trends are mixed: the west coast is becoming brighter, while the east shows declining light levels, attributed to the adoption of energy-efficient technologies.

The study also recorded extensive gas flaring in the US, particularly in Texas and North Dakota, where satellites regularly detect sharp spikes in brightness.

Researchers emphasise that Earth’s nighttime light does not reflect linear progress, but rather a complex and shifting pattern combining growth, decline, and redistribution of artificial illumination.

By Jeyhun Aghazada