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14 Sep 06 Google Earth links with UN for environment watch Mark Sweney MediaGuardian.co.uk Yahoo News 13 Sep 06 Google maps spotlight Earth's changes, wonders SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Google began showcasing the world's natural wonders, famous haunts, and man-made changes on its global mapping service. Google Earth offered "Featured Content" ranging from details of the Three Gorges Dam in China and King Tut's tomb in Egypt to Itsukushima Shrine in Japan and Pablo Picasso's favorite social spot in Sweden. "We are excited to provide users with the opportunity to learn more about the natural wonders and manmade landmarks of the world," said John Hanke, director Google Earth and Maps. "We believe Google Earth is an excellent medium for organizing and sharing the world's geographic information and we continue to explore opportunities to bring visually compelling and informative content into Google Earth." Google created "multimedia overlays" that users can trigger by clicking icons that appear on a virtual globe. Icons designated natural wonders, major landmarks or cities, and environmental changes such as deforestation in the Amazon and a shrinking glacier in Iceland. Pop-up boxes provide images, brief information, and links to websites with more details. The Mountain View, California, based online search giant's partners in the project included the United Nations Environmental Program; Discovery Networks World Tour; Jane Goodall Institute; Turn Here travel guides, and the US National Park Service. The Guardian 14 Sep 06 Google Earth links with UN for environment watch Mark Sweney MediaGuardian.co.uk Google Earth has teamed up with the United Nations to allow users to monitor global environmental crisis zones. The website, which allows users to zoom in on any location on a satellite-based, colour, 3D depiction of the planet, will "overlay" information from partners on to its geographical images. A tie-up with the United Nations Environmental Program will allow users to see images illustrating the world's most extreme areas of environmental degradation. It will offer "before-and-after" imagery spanning the last 30 years of environmental disasters, including the deforestation of the Amazon. Separately, a partnership with Discovery Networks, owner of the Discovery Channel, will allow people to take a virtual world holiday tour. Users will see an icon appear on major tourist attractions and cities around the world and will be able to click to see Discovery video segments and information on each place. Other partners in the new programme - which Google is calling "featured content" - include the National Park Service representing 58 US parks and wildlife centre the Jane Goodall Institute. Visitors to Goodall's Gombe reserve in Africa can keep up to date, via Google Earth, with its "geo blog", which monitors chimpanzees and deforestation in Africa. Earlier this month, Google appeared in its first European TV advertising campaign in a deal with British Airways to promote a new destination-viewing service using Google Earth technology. The ad, created by BA's agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, marked a major departure by the internet giant, which has famously built its popularity without resorting to traditional advertising. links Related articles on Global issues: general |
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