Google Doodle marks Earth Day 2022 with dramatic time-lapse images of melting glaciers
Google is marking Earth Day 2022 with a selection of time-lapse satellite images on its homepage, showing the dramatic impacts of climate change on our planet. The scenes include melting glaciers in Greenland between 2000 and 2020, retreating snow cover on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania between 1986 and 2020, deforestation of the Harz forests in Elend, Germany, between 1995 and 2020 and coral bleaching at Australia's Great Barrier Reef, between March and May 2016. Each of the time-lapses will remain on Google's homepage for several hours at a time, and clicking on one of the images will take the user through to the search results page for 'climate change', where they can learn more about protecting the planet. 'Todays annual Earth Day Doodle addresses one of the most pressing topics of our time: climate change,' said Google in a blog post. 'Using real time-lapse imagery from Google Earth Timelapse and other sources, the Doodle shows the impact of climate change across four different locales around our planet. 'Acting now and together to live more sustainably is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change.' Google also released new search data today, revealing that people in the UK are taking steps to live more sustainable lives. Today's Google Doodle images are in stark contrast with the positive animation published for Earth Day 2021, which the company said was designed to 'encourage everyone to find one small act they can do to restore our Earth'. Climate counsellor Lesley Hughes, a professor of biology at Macquarie University in Sydney, told that this may be a response to the recent IPCC report, which warned there is a 'brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity' to limit global warming to 2.7F (1.5C) by 2100. 'Our physical and biological world is transforming before our eyes and thats what these images are emphasising and so theres absolutely no time to waste,' she told the newspaper. The IPCC report, published earlier this month, states that global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak before 2025 at the latest. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions must also be slashed by a whopping 48 per cent by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050 if we're to hit the target, according to the report. Meanwhile, methane emissions must be reduced by a third by 2030, and almost halved by 2050. As it stands, we are currently on track for global warming of 5.7F (3.2C) by 2100, with devastating consequences for 'all living things', according to the IPCC. 'We are at a crossroads. The decisions we make now can secure a liveable future. We have the tools and know-how required to limit warming,' said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee. Figures from Google's Search and Maps apps show that people in the UK are trying to make greener and cleaner choices. The firm revealed that, since March last year, the number of people searching for a 'used clothing store' on Google Maps has increased more than five-fold a sign people are trying to live more sustainably. Google Maps searches in the UK for donation centres have more than doubled in the last year, while searches for waste management services are up by 86 per cent. On Google Search, the five most searched for topics around climate since the start of the year all related to living more sustainably, with 'veganism', 'recycling', 'waste collection', 'electric car' and 'landfill' being the most searched terms on the issue. Searches linked to electric cars have also spiked on Google Maps, with searches for electric vehicle charging stations more than doubling since March last year. 'These trends show how enthusiastic the UK is about making sustainable choices,' Matt Brittin, Google president for EMEA, said in response to the new data. 'We know people aren't always sure where to start so we're doing everything we can to make it easier, including making changes to some of your favourite tools. 'We're displaying carbon emissions in Google Flights, enabling travellers to search for eco-certified hotels and we'll shortly be adding eco-routes to Maps, showing you the most fuel-efficient routes.' Google said its data also showed that families as a whole were trying to do more for the environment, with 'what is sustainability for kids?' named as one of the top trending questions within the climate topic on Google Search. In response to the growing public awareness of the human impact on the climate, Google now shows carbon emissions for flights in search results and is planning to introduce other environmental awareness features.