A new Google Earth map highlights the devastating impact a 4 ° C rise in temperature would have in different parts of the world.
The interactive tool, which was launched by the UK coalition government, aims to stimulate debate on carbon emissions and climate change.
It comes after recent warnings that, based on current international carbon pledges, the earth’s temperature will rise by an average of nearly 4 ° C, which could lead to sea level rises, wildfires and droughts.
The online map shows how temperature increases differ dramatically around the world. The poles glow red, with a potential rise of up to 10 ° C, while northern Europe escapes with light orange rises of 2-3 ° C. Other hot spots such as the Amazon rainforest stand out.
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “It is not pleasant to see and underscores the threat to human and national security if we do not act now.”
Deforestation is one of the main causes of climate change. In just 24 hours, logging will release as much carbon into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from London to New York.
The good news is that measures to tackle deforestation are starting to make a difference. A recent report reveals that global illegal timber production has dropped by 22 percent since 2002, while Brazil, Cameroon and Indonesia have seen levels drop by a whopping 50 to 75 percent.
It has been estimated that since 2002, 17 million hectares of forest have been saved from deforestation, preventing the release of up to 1.2 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere.
However, there is still a long way to go before countries achieve sustainable management of their tropical forests.
