Google Earth to map climate change
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the tool this week
Google Earth has linked up with the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to produce a tool which will demonstrate how the American state is being affected by climate change.
The project is a result of collaboration between the California Natural Resources Agency, Schwarzenegger and the Stockholm Environment Institute.
Google Earth's CalAdapt tool will be ready for public use in September 2010 and will enable people to view how their local area will be affected by climate change over the years, mapping out some worrying scenarios.
The tool uses existing scientific data to make its predictions, including information on temperature change and water shortages.
It also uses data modelling to show how certain changes, such as rising sea levels and melting snow packs, would impact on the region.
Commenting on the development, Schwarzenegger said: "When it comes to fighting global warming and climate change, it is technology, in the end, that will save us all."
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Eric Schmidt, Google's chief executive, added that it will help Californians see the risk that threaten their "beautiful state".
Last month, US president Barack Obama pledged to cut greenhouse gases in America by 17% by 2020 and 83% by 2050, compared to 2005 levels.
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Comments
with global warming heating our planet and melting the ice caps ,which has happened thousands of times and dumping all that water in the ocean ,which in turn shuts down the warm current which feeds the northern hemisphere,we are all worried ,why as i belive it will start all over again ,and we will be back to square one again except ,the ice ages will happen quicker each time, can anyone say what will happen NO ask they are guessing as usaual
Given the recent enlightenments about the “fudging” of historical climate data by scientists, how are we supposed to believe any of the “worrying scenarios” that are generated?
Given the recent enlightenments about the “fudging” of historical climate data by scientists, how are we supposed to believe any of the “worrying scenarios” that are generated?