New Animated Map brings Global Warming to your PC

Google, Britain's environment ministry and the country's Met Office have joined forces to produce a new animated map of the earth from space.

The project, Climate Change in Our World, brings the potential impact of climate change to your own pc.

Based on Google Earth which uses NASA satellite images, viewers can watch the effects of global warming up to 2100 for the Earth as a whole or can zoom in on countries and cities.

"This project shows people the reality of climate change using estimates of both the change in the average temperature where they live, and the impact it will have on people's lives all over the world," said environment secretary Hilary Benn.

"By helping people to understand what climate change means for them and for the world we can mobilize the commitment we need to avoid the worst effects by taking action now."

Even though last year leaders of the major world economies agreed that carbon emissions should be cut by 50% by 2050 from 1990 levels there remains disagreement between rich and poor nations over who should move first.

The map illustrates shows the world heating up over the years, with some of the largest temperature increases visible at the poles where vast areas turn red indicating rises well into double digits. It also details information on local impacts and steps people can and in some cases already are taking.

Scientists say global average temperatures will rise by between 1.8 and 4.0 degrees Celsius this century as a result of growing carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels for power and transport, causing floods and famines and threatening millions of lives.

The map, which can be viewed from http://earth.google.com/outreach/kml_entry.html#tClimate%20Change%20In%20Our%20World , illustrates that within this global average there will be significant local and regional variations.

Climate change is arguably one of the biggest issues facing the world today," said Met Office chief John Hirst.
"Merging the Met Office's unparalleled climate science expertise with the exciting technology of Google Earth is a great way of bringing the impacts of a warming world to life."

Source: Reuters