UK launches interactive map warning of climate change effects

The UK government has launched a new interactive Google Earth map showing how the world will change if global average temperature rose by 4°C 

Pushing the barriers with Google Earth technology, the multi-platform and interactive map shows some of the changes that might occur and highlights the UK Government’s commitment to keeping global temperatures low to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.

The map was developed using peer-reviewed science from the UK Met Office Hadley Centre and other leading impact scientists.

At the London launch, UK Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham said the threat of climate change had not diminished and the new UK government was committed to taking action to address the issue.  

“We are committed to being the 'greenest' government ever and engage with new audiences.

“This Google Earth map supports that commitment to tackling climate change and will hopefully communicate with a bigger audience globally about why the UK Government is being activist in championing the transition to a low carbon economy,” he added.

According to Google’s Ed Parson, the map was an example of the benefits of using the latest web technology to visualise scientific information and promote better understanding of the potential impacts of climate change.

“Allowing scientists to talk about their research to the general public is a way to enable the public to fully understand how the process of scientific investigation works,” he said. 

British High Commissioner to PNG, David Dunn, said the map reinforced the UK Government’s determination to act against dangerous man-made climate change.

“We know the stakes are high and that’s why we want to help secure an ambitious global climate change deal,” he said and added that PNG’s role – as the custodian of the third largest rainforest on the planet - was pivotal to the overall goal set by the international community.  

A continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions could trigger global average temperatures to increase by 4°C by the end of the century or as early as 2060.

The map uses latest climate and impacts science and illustrates some of the potential impacts of such a rise.