Google Earth offers a vision of post-global warming California
Google has teamed up with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to provide maps of how global warming could affect the Golden State.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks in front of a map showing what areas might be affected by global warming in San Francisco, California, Wednesday.
Kim White/Reuters
San Francisco
Want to see what climate change could mean for California? Just Google it.
The Internet search giant unveiled a new tool Wednesday for its popular Google Earth navigation software that predicts where sea levels could rise and where wild fire danger might worsen due to global warming.
“This is part of our effort to get people to really understand what is happening around us,” said Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who unveiled the new features at a press conference where Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released the state’s 200-page report on how California plans to cope with climate change.
Google and Governor Schwarzenegger to bring a visual element to climate science.
“California has taken action and led the way in the US and around the world in enacting green policies to fight climate change because no single issue threatens our planet’s health and prosperity more,” said Schwarzenegger.
Among the recommendation in the 200-page Climate Adaptation Strategy: increase water conservation, curb development, and use more renewable energy resources – many measures that are underway in the state.
Google has already released several online tools in support of efforts to address climate change ahead of this month’s United Nations Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen.
Former Vice President Al Gore introduced the Google Earth features on YouTube in September.
-----
Follow us on Twitter.