  The prevailing regulatory framework for light pollution control is based on
establishing conditions on individual light sources or single installations
(regarding features like ULOR, spectrum, illuminance levels, glare, ...), in
the hope that an ensemble of individually correct lighting installations will
be effective to somehow solve this problem. This "local sources" approach is
indeed necessary, and shall no doubt be enforced; however, it seems to be
clearly insufficient for curbing the actual process of degradation of the
night, and for effectively attaining the necessary remediation goals. In this
paper we describe a complementary (not substitutive) 'red-lines' strategy that
should in our opinion be adopted as early as possible in the policies for light
pollution control. This top-down approach seeks to set definite limits on the
allowable degradation of the night, providing the methodological tools required
for making science-informed public policy decisions and for managing the
transition processes. Light pollution abatement should routinely be included as
an integral part of any territorial management plan. A practical application
case-study is described to illustrate these concepts.
