Integrating the Findings of Study Review and Data Analysis of Lit Areas and Protected Areas: The Case of Five Countries in Southeastern Europe

Lit areas are present in urban and suburban areas and in their surroundings. Yet, lighting tends to extend and increase in lit areas and probably in protected areas that conserve nature and species in Southeastern Europe. This study presents an overview of relevant studies on lighting with a focus on lit and protected areas of Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia in Southeastern Europe, using the Google search engine on lighting pollution and biodiversity between 1992 and 2026, applying Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and LDAShiny open-source application. Lighting increases and decreases in the lit and protected areas were calculated for the five Southeastern European countries using remote sensing lighting data between 2020 and 2025, explaining these changes in lighting using review findings. The 17.8% relevant studies on lighting pollution and biodiversity tended to be at the European and global levels. Trends of studies were on “light” and “insects” in 2025 and 2026. The decrease in lighting between 2020 and 2025 was more present in protected areas in Slovenia and to some extent in Croatia than in Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. There is a strong need for future studies on lighting in lit and protected areas in Southeastern Europe.