UN-backed campaign and Google to map environmental activities online

A new online tool will track environmental protection activities across the planet as part of the annual Clean Up the World Weekend, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

The website, developed with the support of Google, will allow communities participating in this weekend’s clean-up campaign to share their projects worldwide.

On the website, individual environmental projects are marked on a map of the world, and a click of the mouse provides users with a project’s name, location and description.

Many of this year’s activities will focus on limiting the impact of climate change under the campaigns theme “Start today… Save tomorrow – Clean Up Our Climate”.

Participating organizations and their volunteers will take part in a range of activities designed to improve the environment such as waste reduction and recycling, water and energy conservation and revegetation projects.

“Climate change is the number one issue facing humanity at the turn of the 21st century,” said UNEP Director-General Achim Steiner.

“Lives are threatened as is the very fabric of all countries and communities. So let’s all start today to save tomorrow,” he added.

The Clean Up the World campaign, founded by Australian environmental campaigner Ian Kiernan 16 years ago and partnered with UNEP, is launching the website http://activities.cleanuptheworld.org.

“All over the world people are seeing the devastating effects of climate change. Clean Up the World provides every person and every community with the opportunity to do something about it,” Mr. Kiernan said.

“Now, thanks to Clean Up the World’s use of Google Maps, we have the tool to visually show the extent of the environmental action being undertaken around the world and motivate new communities to get involved in the campaign,” he added.