The British Columbia Chapter of the Sierra Club of Canada has release a map for Google Earth showing how a projected rise of six meters to the sea level will do to the Vancouver area. The map is based on articles which appeared in Science 24-March-2006 which projects sea level rise due to melting glaciers between half a meter in 100 years and up to 10 meters in the coming centuries due to global warming. Vancouver may not see the effects right away, but the Sierra Club thinks we can all take steps right now to help prevent the worst from happening.
You can read the press release here which speaks briefly about the possible effects to Vancouver. Or you can just download the prediction map here 
. The blue areas show the primary flooded areas. Placemarks indicate areas of the region effected with details of what percentage would be submerged. You can use the transparency slider to see what lays under the water in the satellite photos. The primary prevention step they suggest is to reduce carbon emissions. Personally I think there are other issues involved, but I think that’s one good step to take.
The Sierra Club has also used Google Earth for informatoin about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. And information about a proposal by the US Government to sell public lands. Check out many other stories about the environment here at GEB – Google Earth Blog.
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
One one to help reduce the effects of carbon emissions is to buy offsets. One of the best places to get involved is over at CarbonFund.org – a non-profit organization interested in helping to reduce carbon emissions.
I agree with Eric above – and as I work for Carbon Planet, i’d better plug it here too. Carbon Planet retails fully certified carbon credits to individuals and businesses. see carbonplanet.com
Carbon credits channel funds from polluters (ie all of us) to projects that remove CO2 and equivalent from the air.
My current analysis, which incorporates information learned during 2008 IPY is that in 2012-215 we can expect 3-5 meters of sea rise, then a period of 3-5 years of relatively stable sea levels then 3-7 years rising another 3-5 meters. Then there should be a period of stability lasting perhaps as long as 20 years. Followed by decades of tsunami wiping Australia, the Indian Subcontinent and south Asia. This will coincide with another increase in sea level of perhaps as much as 30 meters.
Unless the Atlantic current shuts down once the Arctic in ice-free–a possibility–we will, in that case, experience a new ice age of unknown duration.
It is possible that between the first and second rises, there will be a mega-methane release. The last one wipped out 20% of species.
The best of these options is new ice age–and we could easily start one by dirtying the atmosphere.
The bes long-term solution is to remove a big chunk of the Isthmus of Panama–rejoining the Atlantic & Pacific. This plan is based upon the fact that ever since the isthmus arose, our planetary climate has been tottering from warm|cold.