This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Despite contentious local debates about time zones and seasonal shifts, University of Queensland research shows there is no official global time zone system. The paper is published in the Journal of Economic Geography.
With most Australian states switching to daylight saving time soon and the United States considering a permanent move to daylight saving time, human geographer and associate professor Thomas Sigler investigated global timekeeping to better understand the political structures supporting time zones and how changes are made. Sigler said that while there were standard measurements for units of time, there was no international authority responsible for maintaining global time zones. "Most people assume time zones are fixed and objective, but they are constantly being contested and renegotiated," Sigler said.
"Time zones are not neutral technical systems but politically negotiated arrangements shaped by competing social, economic and biological priorities. "The world's computers, smartphones and digital systems behind everything from stock markets to airlines actually rely on unofficial databases to keep on track." Sigler's study identified Australia as one of the world's most active centers of time zone debate, with Queensland and Western Australia not shifting to daylight saving time despite recurring political campaigns and public discussion. "The question of what time it should be in any particular place is often deeply political," he said.
"That explains why there are currently two petitions in the Queensland Parliament about daylight saving time locally. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act proposing permanent daylight saving time. "This movement is gaining momentum globally, with the Canadian province of British Columbia recently moving the clock forward permanently." Sigler said the North American debates illustrated the tensions identified by his research.
"Supporters want permanent daylight saving time because they value more evening light and potential economic benefits, while opponents argue that darker winter mornings could affect health and well-being," he said. "The annual daylight saving time debate in Australia reminds us that time zones are socially constructed, rather than scientific truths." Thomas Sigler et al, Contested clocks: uniformity and resistance in global time zone standardization, Journal of Economic Geography (2026). DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbag049 Swati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019.
She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space. Full profile → Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast.
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