Glasgow has taken over presidency of worldwide cities lighting network.

The Charter was officially signed during the Lighting Urban Community International (LUCI) Annual General Meeting (15-19 September 2010) at Chartres, France.

Jean-Michel Daclin, Deputy Mayor of Lyon and the outgoing LUCI President said: “The LUCI Charter on Urban Lighting marks a new stage in the development of the LUCI network. We are convinced that light plays an essential role in the social, economic and urban development of a city, and the charter reinforces LUCI’s role in setting the international agenda on urban lighting.”

The “Charter on Urban Lighting” initiated by LUCI is one of a kind and the product of

contributions from more than 40 cities around the world. It aims to bring cities together around common principles in lighting and to mark the network’s commitment to sustainable development.

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This charter aims to give a clear view of the factors that should be taken into account by sustainable lighting strategies, while simultaneously gathering LUCI members around a common vision of urban lighting.

It also addresses challenges common to all: the role of public lighting in towns, reduction of costs, reduction of light pollution, conservation of energy, improvement of urban living conditions, the use of lighting that takes sustainable development into consideration and provides a reference framework within which towns and cities can develop their own lighting strategies.

The main commitment of signatory cities will be to regularly review the results of their

efforts to set up public lighting systems that are in line with the principles of the

charter.

LUCI’s AGM also marked the first change of presidency since the creation of the association in 2002 and the implementation of a rotating presidency every two years. The City of Glasgow, currently the Vice President, took over from the City of Lyon as President.

Allan Stewart, Deputy Lord Provost of Glasgow, and now President of LUCI, said: "Glasgow is pleased to have worked with other cities to develop the charter. It is a positive step for our growing network and reflects the commitment of our cities to tackling this issue and promoting responsible urban lighting.”

During the AGM, representatives of the cities of Lyon, Glasgow, Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Toulouse and Leipzig, the city at the origin of the initiative, presented exemplary experiences related to sustainable urban lighting. From “dynamic lighting” in Toulouse, to the “Castlemilk weather tower” in Glasgow, to “intelligent urban lighting” in Leipzig.

(GK/KMcA)