Google Earth to track long-term climate change
Google Earth is to track the long-term effects of climate change in a collaboration with the UK government, the Met Office and the British Antarctic Survey.
Prime minister Gordon Brown launched the Climate Change in Our World initiative at the Google Zeitgeist conference.
Using data from the Met Office's Hadley Centre, Google Maps predicts world temperatures over the next 100 years under medium projections of greenhouse gas emissions.
With help from the British Antarctic Survey, it also shows the retreat of Antarctic ice caps since the 1950s
Environment secretary Hilary Benn said: "This project shows the reality of climate change using estimates of the change in the average temperature where they live, and the impact it will have on people's lives all over the world, including here in Britain.
"By helping people to understand what climate change means for them and for the world we can mobilise the commitment we need to avoid the worst effects by taking action now."
International development secretary Douglas Alexander also endorsed the development.
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