On The Verge Of Breaching Five Climate Tipping Points

The world is on the brink of surpassing five critical thresholds essential for life on Earth due to current levels of warming. During the latest COP 28 held in Dubai, scientists issued a warning that the planet is on the brink of reaching five critical thresholds essential for life on earth.

Scientists stress that breaching these thresholds would pose challenges of unprecedented magnitude.

Five critical tipping points

1. Greenland ice sheets

Recent studies have found that Greenland's Ice cap melt is inevitable even if the usage of fossil fuels are stopped completely. The research shows the global heating to date will cause an absolute minimum sea-level rise of 27cm (10.6in) from Greenland alone.

2. West Antarctic ice sheets

West Antarctica is facing accelerated Ice sheet melt. Studies have shown that the rate o melting will be three times faster this century.

3. The North Atlantic ocean circulation

The Atlantic Ocean circulation brings warm and cold weather to Europe. This is at its weakest and the probable cause is climate change. If this gets worse, then it could result in more storms, more intense heatwaves and winters. It is predicted that this circulation will get even weaker in next 20–30 years.

4. Permafrost regions

The Arctic permafrost has been thawing faster than predicted. It has been thawing 70 years earlier. Because of this rapid thawing there is a possibility that heat trapping gases could be released and this in turn will cause the global temperature to rise even further in a feedback loop.

5. Coral reef die-off

The Great Barrier Reef is nearing its tipping point, beyond which the reef will lose its function as a viable ecosystem. Coral bleaching was first observed and documented in the 1980s. Coral bleaching is a phenomenon where corals lose their vibrant colors due to the expulsion or loss of algae living within their tissues. The primary reason behind coral bleaching is the rise in sea temperatures, often associated with climate change. When corals experience prolonged high temperatures, they expel the algae living in their tissues, leading to the loss of color. This impact would devastate millions of people depending on the coral ecosystems or their food and livelihood.

As we stand at this critical juncture, there’s a real risk of setting off changes that could reshape the fate of our planet for the next hundred or even thousands of years. It’s like tipping over a domino — once it starts, it’s tough to reverse and its going to be hard to recover.