Extended Data Fig. 2: Global patterns of ALAN change area and change intensity from 2014 to 2022.

Panels a–e focus on ALAN change area: a, Gridded heat map shows the cumulative sum of ALAN change areas. Values represent the cumulative sum of all brightening change areas (from black to red) and the cumulative sum of all dimming change areas (from black to blue) within each 0.5° × 0.5° grid cell. Brighter colours mean larger cumulative change areas in both directions, and darker colours mean the opposite. b,c, Longitudinal (b) and latitudinal (c) cumulative profile plots of the yearly sum of brightening (red/orange tones) and the yearly sum of dimming (blue/cyan tones) in every 2º step. d, Actual ALAN cumulative change area summed at global and continental levels. e, Relative ALAN cumulative change areas by the end of 2022, compared with the 2014 baseline, at global and continental levels. The red bars in d and e represent the brightening changes, and the blue bars represent the dimming changes. Panels f–h focus on ALAN change intensity: f, Gridded heat map shows change intensity. Values represent the brightening change intensity (from black to red) and the dimming change intensity (from black to blue) within each 0.5° × 0.5° grid cell. Brighter colours mean larger change intensities in both directions, and daker colours mean the opposite. g,h, Longitudinal (g) and latitudinal (h) cumulative profile plots of the yearly brightening and the yearly dimming ALAN change intensity in every 2° step. i, Actual ALAN change intensity at global and continental levels. j, Relative ALAN change intensity by the end of 2022, compared with the 2014 baseline, at global and continental levels. The red bars in i and j represent the brightening changes, and the blue bars represent the dimming changes. Basemaps in a and f are adapted from the World Continents Layer from Esri.