The International Dark-Sky Places (IDSP) program of the International Dark-Sky Association is a voluntary certification in which communities commit via legislative changes to move towards more sustainable lighting that reduces light pollution. As over 115 IDSP have now been certified, it is interesting to ask the extent to which this certification results in reduced light emissions. In this paper, we compared trends in upward light emission of 98 communities located in or near IDSP to those of 98 similarly sized communities further away from the IDSP, using a night lights observing satellite (the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day-Night Band). The current dataset is not sufficient to distinguish the hypothesis that IDSP certification results in a lower rate of change in upward light emissions from the null hypothesis that IDSP certification has no impact. This result is with regard to upward light emissions only: it is possible that certification has resulted in decreases in night sky brightness that the satellite is not able to observe.

Climate change is a pressing global issue that is rapidly requiring a global response under international law. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was created by the UN to unite states in coordinating efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to develop in a more sustainable way. The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement were two succeeding efforts under the UNFCCC to decrease emissions and prepare adaptations for the effects of climate change. The Kyoto Protocol required mandatory reduction in carbon emissions by industrialised developed states, and it inevitably collapsed. The Paris Agreement required voluntary reduction of carbon emissions by all member states. In this paper, we look at the evolution of the international climate change legal regime, from the UNFCCC adaptation at Rio de Janeiro, to the failed Kyoto Protocol and the innovation of the Paris Agreement. In particular, we look at the implementation efforts by the EU and China of the Paris Agreement, as two of the major carbon emitters on the planet who are still parties to the agreement. Although both China and the EU set lofty goals in accordance with the Paris Agreement requirements, neither state's plan is adequate to deal with global warming in the long run. We argue that the greatest innovation of the Paris Agreement is in climate change related information gathering, sharing, and reporting. The rapidly deteriorating condition of the global climate makes accurate information on national carbon emission and carbon reduction efforts, essential for long-term prediction and planning. Therefore, in the fight against global warming, timely and reliable information on carbon emissions and how national governments are dealing with that have become more valuable than just complying with global targets. 1