For almost three months the world has been watching a natural disaster that may have huge consequences for the ecosystem. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has mobilized experts from all over the world who are trying to come up with fast solutions to this catastrophe. Scientists warned that the work to retain the slick is likely to take months and to mitigate the spill – years.

The disaster caused by the explosion of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people and rupturing pipes deep down in the ocean occurred on April 20^nd. Around 200 thousand gallons of oil leak every day and several alternative solutions are being tested to contain the leak and minimize damages. The type of oil that’s leaking poses a major challenge to experts because it is heavier and mixes easily with water. This accident is considered to be the biggest environmental accident in the US history causing possible impacts on the marine ecosystem in the region and, maybe, serious problems in the food chain.

According to the WWF, Russian scientists submitted a proposal that will create an international mechanism for preventing, treating, and cleaning up oil spills. The oil pollution has become an international problem since it may affect different regions if it is not controlled. Experts are preparing materials dealing with international spill responses. The experts are to report back on progress at the next G20 summit, in Seoul, South Korea, later this year.

Source: WWF, Eco Desenvolvimento, Veja, Abril