Search

Advances in remote sensing have proved to be highly valuable for light pollution research and awareness raising. Maps based on night-time satellite data can be used in communication campaigns aimed at improving awareness among policy makers and the general public of the extent and effects of light pollution and to justify appropriate management actions. However, visually appealing maps are also used in other communication settings. This article reviews different uses of light pollution maps and discusses the societal implications of such uses. Based on examples of light pollution maps in different communication settings not directly related to the light pollution debate, the review proposes that the relatively wide popularity of light pollution maps may strengthen impressions of an artificially illuminated night environment as the normal baseline for human experience. This contributes to the loss of experience of natural darkness, possibly leading to generational amnesia complicating the management of light pollution. Multiple uses of light pollution maps and other visualizations should be taken into account when campaigns and policies aimed at supporting sustainable lighting are planned and implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic, social and ecological implications of the extraction of mineral resources have been increasingly discussed under the heading of the social licence to operate. In Finland, critical public framings characterized by impressions of failed economic promises, unreliable technology and environmental hazards have dominated the recent mining debate. Operators probing for opportunities to establish new mines have faced critical public reactions. Changes to legislation, natural resource management and corporate responsibility have been demanded in order to effectively address environmental concerns and local social acceptability issues. We studied media representations and planning documents in order to identify the variety of publicly presented concerns related to a planned gold mine and mining company’s social licence to operate. Our case study focuses on the planning processes of a gold mine adjacent to an important tourist destination in the Kuusamo municipality in north-east Finland. We highlight the role of public debate on the formation and erosion of legitimacy and the fragility of the social licence to operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]