A 32-foot-long steel box, dubbed “Earth’s Black Box”, containing hard drives filled with climate change information, will be constructed somewhere on Tasmania’s west coast by the end of the year, according to reports.
The project, led by marketing firm Clemenger BBDO and the University of Tasmania, is expected to begin construction in the coming months.
“Whilst it is not yet built, we anticipate having it completed this year,” project chair Sonia von Bibra recently told MailOnline.
The almost triangular-shaped development will measure at 10-metre-by-4-metre-by-3-metre and will be lined with solar panels.
It was first announced in December 2021 but has been delayed since.
“Unless we dramatically transform our way of life, climate change and other man-made perils will cause our civilisation to crash,” reads the project’s website.
“Earth’s Black Box will record every step we take towards this catastrophe. Hundreds of data sets, measurements and interactions relating to the health of our planet will be continuously collected and safely stored for future generations.”
“The purpose of the device is to provide an unbiased account of the events that lead to the demise of the planet, hold accountability for future generations and inspire urgent action.”
According to Vov Bibra, ‘philanthropic donors’ are ‘standing by’ with funds to start construction – pending approval of an application by the Australian Tax Office.
Development applications show the box will be built between Queenstown and Strahan at the western end of the Queenstown Aerodrome runway, around four hours from Hobart.
Earth’s Black Box is expected to have enough capacity to store data for the next 30 to 50 years.
