Earth on verge of crossing major ‘tipping points’, might trigger climate catastrophe in 10 years: Report - WION

Earth on verge of crossing major ‘tipping points’, might trigger climate catastrophe in 10 years: Report - Science News

Earth on verge of crossing major ‘tipping points’, might trigger climate catastrophe in 10 years: Report

Story highlights

According to a report compiled by more than 200 scientists, global warming has reached unprecedented levels and it could trigger a 'dangerous domino effect' that could potentially wipe out the livelihood of human beings

Over the years scientists have cautioned about the dire climate situation the Earth is facing. While the world governments are struggling to hammer out a common deal to reach net zero emissions, a report has issued a ‘Doomsday’ warning about the major climate “tipping points” that could bring catastrophe worldwide in the next 10 years if the planet continues to heat up.

According to a report compiled by more than 200 scientists, global warming has reached unprecedented levels and it could trigger a “dangerous domino effect” that could potentially wipe out the livelihood of human beings.

The report titled ‘Global Tipping Points’ states that five important natural thresholds are already at risk of being crossed, and three more may be reached in the 2030s if the world heats 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial temperatures.

trending now

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi named Time's Athlete of the Year for 2023
'Where the hell are you', Netanyahu fumes over women's rights groups' silence on sexual violence by Hamas
Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight diverted to Karachi after medical emergency onboard
Biden says 'not sure' if he'd be seeking reelection next year if not for rival Trump
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatens to blow up parliament after failed assassination bid
US Vice President Kamala Harris breaks record for most tie-breaking Senate votes
Byju's founder rallying leadership amidst challenges, confident of victory in ongoing crisis
GTA 6 looks impressive but can it surpass its predecessor's unmatched legacy?
US officials believe Israel to end ground operation in Gaza by January: Report
Top 10 world news: Cyclone Michaung completes landfall, Indonesian volcano eruption, and more
WPL 2024 auction: Date, teams, available slots, overseas, retained and released players | All you need to know
India: Man in Odisha along with four friends rapes sister, kills her
Musk, who warned about 'threats' of AI, seeks to raise $1 bn for his chatbot
Japan's traditional spice Wasabi has potential memory-boosting properties: Study
'If you want to pick me for T20 WC 2024...: What Rohit told BCCI officials and selectors - Report

“Triggering one tipping point could trigger another in a kind of dangerous domino effect,” says Tim Lenton at the University of Exeter in the UK, the report’s lead author, reports NewScientists outlet.

“But also these tipping points in the Earth system could, in turn, trigger damaging tipping points in societies, things like food security crises, mass displacement and conflicts. Stopping these threats is possible, but it’s going to require urgent global action.”

'Could bring irreversible changes'

A tipping point is a situation where a small aberration in the ecosystem could trigger abrupt and irreversible changes, because of amplifying feedback processes.

The five major tipping points that we are near to crossing are: the loss of the Greenland ice sheet, the demise of the West Antarctic ice sheet, the die-off of tropical coral reefs, the abrupt thaw of large areas of Arctic permafrost and the slowing of an ocean current known as the North Atlantic subpolar gyre.

The report states that there are more that may soon join the list. They are: mangroves and seagrass meadows, which are expected to die off in some regions if the temperatures rise between 1.5C and 2C, and boreal forests, which may tip as early as 1.4C of heating or as late as 5C.

The warning comes as world leaders are in Dubai for the COP28 climate summit.

2023 to be the hottest year on record

Meanwhile, EU's Copernicus Climate Change in its report has said that 2023 is poised to become the hottest year on record after an "extraordinary" November became the sixth record-breaking month in a row.

Also read | Data lab: India saw at least one major weather event each day in 2023. Cyclone Michaung adds to the tally

"The extraordinary global November temperatures, including two days warmer than 2C above pre-industrial (levels), mean that 2023 is the warmest year in recorded history," Samantha Burgess, deputy head of the Copernicus service said.

Scientists say data from ice cores, tree rings and the like suggests this year could be the warmest in more than 100,000 years.

(With inputs from agencies)