Time Lapse View from Space. Google Earth Animation Shows How Dams Could Worsen Climate Change. This story is part of a special National Geographic News series on global water issues.
A new interactive Google Earth video tour aims to teach people how damming rivers around the world can exacerbate climate change. The video, created by the nonprofit conservation groups International Rivers and Friends of the Earth International, is narrated by Nigerian environmental activist Nnimmo Bassey and will debut at the United Nations COP 17 Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, this week. "A lot of analyses of large dams have focused on their social and environmental impacts," said Zachary Hurwitz, policy coordinator for International Rivers. "In addition, greater attention needs to be paid to whether hydropower is a viable option in a warming climate," he said. Digital Universe Atlas.