Scientists have cautioned that carbon pollution is causing the planet to heat up to increasingly perilous levels, bringing us closer to some of the most serious dangers facing humanity.

The Global Tipping Points report reveals that five significant natural thresholds are in danger of being surpassed, and an additional three could potentially be reached by the 2030s if the Earth’s temperature increases by 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial levels.

Initiating these changes in the movements of planets will not result in extreme temperature changes in the upcoming centuries, but it will release harmful and widespread harm to humans and the environment that is irreversible.

Tim Lenton, a researcher from the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter, warns that tipping points in the Earth’s system present unprecedented dangers to humanity. These events have the potential to set off destructive chain reactions, such as the extinction of entire ecosystems and the loss of ability to produce essential crops. This could result in far-reaching consequences, such as widespread displacement, political upheaval, and economic downfall.

Possible rewording: Some potential tipping points that are at risk include the potential melting of large ice sheets in Greenland and the West Antarctic, thawing of permafrost on a large scale, destruction of coral reefs in warmer waters, and the potential collapse of a major ocean current in the North Atlantic.

Other climate changes, like increased heatwaves and rainfall, gradually change in proportion to greenhouse gas emissions. However, certain systems can abruptly switch from one state to a completely different one, without warning. This tipping point in a climatic system can cause permanent changes to the functioning of our planet.

Experts caution that the timing of these shifts in natural systems is not entirely predictable, but a recent study suggests that three new systems could soon be added to the list. These systems are mangroves and seagrass meadows, which are at risk of disappearing in certain areas if temperatures increase by 1.5C to 2C, and boreal forests, which could reach a tipping point anywhere between 1.4C and 5C of warming.

The cautionary message coincides with the gathering of global leaders at the Cop28 conference on climate in Dubai. According to Climate Action Tracker’s report on Tuesday, the emissions goals set for 2030 are projected to result in a 2.5 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures by the year 2100. This is in spite of commitments made by participating nations at a previous summit to strive for limiting the rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The latest warning about the severe impacts of climate change comes from the tipping point report, created by a global team of 200 scientists and supported by Bezos Earth Fund.

Researchers have issued a warning that certain changes may lead to feedback loops that increase the Earth’s temperature or disrupt weather patterns in a manner that triggers additional tipping points.

The scientists stated that the systems were closely interconnected, making it impossible to dismiss the possibility of “tipping cascades”. If the Greenland ice sheet were to break apart, it could result in a sudden change in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a crucial current that supplies the majority of the warmth to the Gulf Stream. This, in turn, could amplify the El Niño southern oscillation, one of the most influential weather patterns globally.

Sina Loriani, a co-author from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, stated that the potential consequences of tipping-point risks are severe and should not be underestimated, even though some uncertainties still remain.

According to him, surpassing these limits could lead to significant and potentially sudden transformations that could permanently impact crucial aspects of our Earth system for the next several hundred or even thousand years.

According to the most recent assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the uncertainties around tipping points are still not fully understood, but the risks will increase with rising global temperatures.

The statement indicated that there are increased dangers when it comes to significant and sudden events or tipping points, such as the instability of ice sheets or the loss of ecosystems in tropical forests. This risk escalates from high to very high when the temperature rises from 1.5C to 2.5C, and from 2.5C to 4C.

The tipping point report examined “positive tipping points,” including the decreasing cost of renewable energy and the rise in demand for electric vehicles. It concluded that these changes do not occur naturally, but require efforts to promote innovation, shape markets, regulate businesses, and educate and mobilize the public.

Last year, Manjana Milkoreit, one of the co-authors of the report, cautioned against excessive use of the term “social tipping points,” which may falsely promise solutions that are not widely available or within our control.

She stated that while hope is beneficial for scholarship, we must be careful when proposing social tipping points as a way to address the time constraints of climate change.

Source: theguardian.com