New interactive map shows effects of climate change

Global mapping service Google Earth added a new interactive layer allowing users to see the effects of climate change on the planet in a bid to raise awareness of global warming and the effects of CO2 emissions.

 

It is accepted that CO2 emissions contribute significantly to global warming, and an increase in the Earth's temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit) is generally considered the tipping point for dramatic climate change. As a result the European Union intends to reduce its C02 emissions by producing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Other developed nations such as the USA are also pursuing several CO2 reduction methods; however, despite a series of environmentally friendly measures recently taken by China, there is concern about the impact of rapidly industrializing nations on global warming.

Google Earth added a new layer to their mapping service on July 14. The new mapping service allows users to see the impact of an average temperature rise of 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 Fahrenheit) across the globe. The map which was developed with the help of the United Kingdom's meteorological office (Met office), indicated that if a temperature rise were to occur it would not spread evenly across the globe, but rather the most severe effects would occur to landmasses at high altitudes.

The interactive map has numerous icons including forest fire, water availability and tropical cyclones; when these are selected areas of the map are highlighted outlining the locations that would potentially be most severely affected, and information is provided on the specifics of that problem.

The Met office has produced a similar map, indicating the global effects if temperatures were to rise within 2 degrees Celsius (35.6 Fahrenheit).

Worldwide the first five months of 2010 were the hottest on record, June and early July saw a series of heat waves across the globe and Beijing, the capital of China, issued an orange weather alert, the second highest, as temperatures reached 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).