This Week on Earth: Oct 16-22

Sunrise at Clark St. Beach on Oct 18. (Arthi Venkatesh/ION)

Colombia

This week, delegates from more than 175 countries are meeting in Cali, Colombia for the largest United Nations biodiversity conference in history. Their objective: taking action to save the estimated 1 million species at risk of extinction globally. 

Two years ago, a smaller U.N. group drafted a set of 23 targets for 2030 aimed at reducing habitat loss, preventing overfishing and mitigating the effects of climate change. A prominent goal, known as 30x30, seeks to have 30% of the world's surface environmentally protected by that date. 

Those targets are the focus for this week’s conference. Countries will present reports detailing how exactly they intend to meet each target and debate how each other’s finances can best be put to use. The unfortunate truth is that conservation requires money, and often, countries with the richest biodiversity have the least to spend. 

Spain

While solar is surging in popularity worldwide, one large issue continues to plague its development–the energy can’t effectively be stored. However, researchers at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain have broken a record for the most efficient method to date. 

In short, a carefully designed molecule changes shape when exposed to sunlight, producing potential energy at a rate of 2.3%, more than double the efficiency of any other solar cell. The storage could theoretically last for up to 18 years.

There is still much work to be done, as the team needs to improve the design and price for conventional use; however, this recent breakthrough hints at a solution that could completely revolutionize the collection of solar energy and shape the future of green energy. 

Australia

Beaches in Sydney, Australia were forced to close this week as authorities investigated the sudden appearance of tar balls washing onto shore. Such phenomena occur when oil mixes with water and debris, but their origin is a bit of a mystery–causing concern. 

Similar globs of tar have been found before, notably in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Officials are conducting in-depth testing to reveal their chemical composition, with hopes of determining if the tar is natural or artificial.

 While the globs of oil certainty affect beach tourism, they also pose a large risk for the movement and feeding of local marine life. The beaches will reopen once the globs have been completely removed, but their prevention remains a serious challenge for local officials.