The proposed island-wide regulation would establish different standards for outdoor lighting, with restrictions beginning at 22:00 in winter and midnight in summer, alongside special protections for sensitive natural and astronomical areas.

Ibiza is preparing new island-wide rules to reduce light pollution, protect biodiversity and preserve the quality of its night sky. The Consell d’Eivissa has presented its proposed Regulation for the Protection of the Night-Time Environment, which would introduce four lighting-protection zones and different requirements for outdoor illumination depending on location, lighting type and time of day.

Presented on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the regulation is due to go before the Island Council’s October plenary session for final approval. It has already passed the initial approval and public consultation stages, during which 38 submissions were received and assessed.

However, the regulation is not yet in force. Its implementation will depend on final approval and publication of the full text in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands.

Four Lighting-Protection Zones Across Ibiza

One of the central elements of the proposed regulation is a classification system covering the island of Ibiza, including its coastline and surrounding smaller islands and islets.

The four categories, E1 to E4, would establish different levels of protection and technical requirements according to the environmental sensitivity and predominant uses of each area.

E1: Maximum protection

These areas would receive the highest level of protection against light pollution. They include protected natural spaces, environmentally sensitive locations and places of particular astronomical interest.

E2: Reduced lighting

This category would apply mainly to rural land outside the areas designated for maximum protection. Lighting requirements would be adapted to limit unnecessary illumination in these less urbanised surroundings.

E3: Medium lighting levels

E3 would cover urban centres and developed areas where lighting is required for everyday activities, public spaces and residential environments.

E4: Higher lighting levels in selected urban areas

The fourth category would be reserved for specific urban locations with high levels of commercial activity, leisure and night-time mobility. Higher lighting levels could be permitted where appropriate, subject to the regulation’s technical requirements.

The system is intended to avoid applying identical standards everywhere. Instead, the amount and characteristics of artificial light would be adapted to the needs and sensitivity of each location.

Special Protection for Cala d’Hort and Ses Salines

The regulation also identifies reference points requiring particular attention because of their astronomical, landscape or biodiversity value.

These include the surroundings of the Cala d’Hort Astronomical Observatory and Ses Salines Natural Park, alongside certain stretches of coastline and nearby islets.

Such locations are especially relevant to the protection of natural darkness and the reduction of unnecessary artificial light around sensitive habitats and astronomical observation areas.

Artificial light can extend well beyond the spaces it is intended to illuminate. Light directed towards the sky, coastal environments or neighbouring properties can contribute to light pollution and undermine the purpose of protecting darker surroundings.

The proposed framework seeks to address these effects through location-specific requirements rather than a blanket reduction of all lighting across the island.

When Would the Night-Time Lighting Restrictions Begin?

The proposed regulation would establish different restricted periods for winter and summer.

As a general rule, the restricted period would begin at 22:00 during winter and 00:00 during summer, using the current official time as the reference.

These times do not mean that all streetlights, businesses, homes and outdoor installations would have to switch off at those hours. The requirements would depend on the type and purpose of the lighting, the applicable protection zone and the relevant provisions of the regulation.

The framework covers several categories of outdoor illumination, including:

• Public road and street lighting.

• Ornamental and architectural lighting.

• Commercial signs and advertising installations.

• Sports and recreational lighting.

• Security lighting and other exterior installations.

Depending on the installation, the applicable measures may require reduced light intensity or switching off certain lighting after the relevant time.

The proposal also provides for specific arrangements during local festivities, the Christmas period and certain special events, allowing the rules to account for circumstances in which additional lighting may be required.

New Standards for Light Direction, Intensity and Colour

The regulation would address more than operating hours. It would also establish technical conditions governing the amount of light emitted, its direction, colour temperature and the proportion of blue light produced by lighting sources.

One objective is to prevent light from being projected unnecessarily towards the sky or into areas that do not need to be illuminated.

Better-directed lighting can help reduce unwanted light spill while maintaining appropriate illumination for streets, public spaces and other places where visibility is needed.

The regulation is intended to balance environmental protection with practical considerations, including public safety and the continued use of urban spaces at night.

For residents and businesses, the eventual requirements would depend on the characteristics of their installations and the lighting zone in which they are located.

How Long Will Existing Lighting Have to Adapt?

The proposed rules include transition periods to allow existing installations to comply with the new technical requirements.

In general, existing installations would have a maximum of four years to adapt. Certain public lighting installations could qualify for a longer period of up to eight years, depending on the conditions established in the regulation.

A separate initial deadline would apply to operating schedules. Existing installations would have to adjust their switch-on and switch-off times within a maximum of three months after the regulation enters into force.

Municipal authorities would also need to plan the necessary work to bring public lighting into line with the new requirements, coordinating the changes with the Island Council within their respective areas of responsibility.

The regulation would become effective 20 days after its full publication in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands. The adaptation periods would begin from that point, rather than from the date of the announcement.

Potential Energy Savings of Up to 60%

Alongside its environmental objectives, the proposed framework could bring energy-efficiency benefits.

According to the estimates presented with the regulation, adapting outdoor lighting systems could generate energy savings of between 50% and 60%, depending on the installations involved and the improvements required.

The actual savings would vary according to existing equipment, operating schedules and the measures implemented. The figure is an estimate, not a guaranteed reduction for every property or public lighting system.

By improving lighting efficiency and reducing unnecessary illumination, the regulation aims to address light pollution while also limiting avoidable energy consumption.

What Happens Next?

The next key step is final approval by the Consell d’Eivissa at an upcoming October plenary session. The regulation must then be published in full in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands before the 20-day entry-into-force period can begin.

Until those steps are completed, the proposed requirements should not be treated as obligations already in force.

Once implemented, the regulation would establish a common framework for outdoor lighting across Ibiza, with different requirements for protected natural spaces, rural areas, urban centres and selected locations with more intensive night-time activity.

The objective is not simply to make the island darker. It is to improve how artificial light is used, preserving the night sky and sensitive environments while maintaining appropriate illumination where people need it.