Future of Sustainable Lighting
During 2015 United Nations will focus on raising global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health.
Today, more than 1.3 billion people worldwide do not have access to basic electricity. Light is vital for our daily lives and lack of access poses serious challenges. Using renewable energy sources such as solar panels and chargers as well as more energy-saving illumination technologies, will make it possible to bring light to every house and neighborhood in the world.
THE IYL2015
On 20 December 2013, the UN General Assembly 68th Session proclaimed 2015 as theInternational Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015). The IYL 2015 Resolution in all official languages of the UN is available here.
OVERVIEWS AND AIMS
In proclaiming an International Year focusing on the topic of light science and its applications, the UN has recognized the importance of raising global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is an imperative cross-cutting discipline of science in the 21st century. It has revolutionized medicine, opened up international communication via the Internet, and continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and political aspects of the global society.
IYL 2015 programs will promote improved public and political understanding of the central role of light in the modern world while also celebrating noteworthy anniversaries in 2015—from the first studies of optics 1,000 years ago to discoveries in optical communications that power the Internet today.
This International Year will bring together many different stakeholders including scientific societies and unions, educational institutions, technology platforms, non-profit organizations and private sector partners.
