Do you wish there was more data about climate change readily available? If so, you may be pleased with a new web-based app to be developed by the federal government. Recently, President Obama unveiled a Climate Data Initiative, which will compile masses of climate change data and make it available to users at climate.data.gov.
Visitors won’t just be reading facts and statistics, though. The app will combine climate data with maps and regional information, so people can see exactly how climate change will affect them. Similar to Google Maps or Google Earth, users could type in an address and see what changes they can expect in their area. For example, if you live a coastal region, the app would let you know how rising sea levels might put your home at an increased risk of flooding.
Creating the app is certainly an ambitious project, but it has the potential to increase awareness and make eco-friendly initiatives more of a priority. Currently, most Americans recognize that climate change is a real occurrence, but they don’t think it’s a major concern. According to the Pew Research Center, Americans rank global warming 19 out of 20 on a list of their top priorities for the federal government. Here are a few ways the app might impact Americans’ feelings on global warming, as well as some challenges the government may face in creating the service.
Increased Access to Information
Over the past few decades, various organizations have compiled massive amounts of data about climate change. At present, much of this data is not accessible to average citizens, particularly if they don’t have great research skills. The climate app will compile information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA and similar agencies, so all data is in one easily accessible place.
This is only part of the challenge, though. Much of the data scientists collect is meaningless to us in its raw form. This is why other organizations will provide maps, as well as economic, infrastructure and demographic information to help translate the data. Government organizations, such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Homeland Security, will contribute, as will private companies like Google, Microsoft, Intel, the Desert Research Institute and university research centers.
A Better Understanding of Climate Change
If all goes according to plan, the Climate Data Initiative will give businesses and individuals a much better idea of how climate change works. Regardless of all the information scientists have collected, average Americans do not have a great understanding of climate change. In spite of almost incontrovertible evidence in favor of climate change, only 67 percent of Americans believe global warming is real.
One example of the kind of information the app will provide can be seen in a map designed by Climate Central, a nonprofit organization dedicated to climate and energy awareness. Climate Central’s Surging Seas app lets you see if your region will be affected by the rising sea level caused by global warming.
If you type in a zip code for a coastal area, like New York City, you can see how much of the city will be underwater for every one foot rise in sea level. If the sea level rises just one foot, Battery Park, parts of Red Hook – Brooklyn – and the JFK Airport will be part of the ocean. According to the app, there is a one in six chance this will occur by 2020.
A higher sea level isn’t the only consequence of global warming, and the Climate Data Initiative aims to show a broad range of its effects on our daily lives. Hopefully, people will also be able to see how making eco-friendly decisions, like using Mustang air filters to control emissions, could reduce their impact on the environment.
The Challenges of Climate Data in Real Time
If development of the app goes as planned, people will be able to see how climate change data played out in real time. However, some scientists worry this may not work, as climate is unpredictable, and the rate of change itself is always changing. For example, if the rate of fossil fuel consumption goes down, the planet may warm at a slower rate. There are many different factors that affect climate change, and it’s hard to say exactly how some scenarios will play out.
Do you think the Climate Data Initiative is useful? Would you be interested in seeing how climate change will impact you in the future?