Planet Earth is at risk of triggering multiple climate tipping points if global temperatures continue to rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, researchers from the University of Exeter, Stockholm Resilience Center, Future Earth and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research say, underscoring the need to decarbonize the planet to limit the risk of crossing dangerous levels.
Even at current levels of global heating, the planet already risks facing five climate tipping points – and the risks increase with each tenth of degree of further warming, according to the study published in the Journal Science last week.
These include the collapse of Greenland’s ice cap and of a key ocean current in the north Atlantic; abrupt thawing of the boreal permafrost; the collapse of a convection in the Labrador Sea; and the massive die-off of tropical coral reefs.
Even worse, five more tipping points become possible at 1.5C, including changes to northern forests and the loss of almost all mountain glaciers, leading to unprecedented sea level rise.
Scientists have been on the lookout for climate tipping elements, which are critical, large scale components of the earth that remain stable at certain global temperatures, but can change once a particular threshold is breached. Even just very small additional disturbances can tip them over, causing severe impacts on the environment and even a chain reaction on multiple systems.
With multiple tipping points possible due to continuing global warming, it could be disastrous for people across the world. This makes doing everything to prevent crossing those tipping points a priority for mankind.
This is, in part, why the Paris Agreement and other efforts to limit global warming have set a cap of 1.5C, as the risk of more tipping points escalate beyond that level.
As the planet edges closer to these tipping points, humanity will have to work together if we are to ease it back. This includes countries like the Philippines that contribute less to global warming but will ultimately bear the brunt of the impacts if we fail to achieve these urgent goals that are attempting to stave off an existential threat.*
