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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/08/world-on-brink-five-climate-tipping-points-study-finds>
"The climate crisis has driven the world to the brink of multiple “disastrous”
tipping points, according to a major study.
It shows five dangerous tipping points may already have been passed due to the
1.1C of global heating caused by humanity to date.
These include the collapse of Greenland’s ice cap, eventually producing a huge
sea level rise, the collapse of a key current in the north Atlantic, disrupting
rain upon which billions of people depend for food, and an abrupt melting of
carbon-rich permafrost.
At 1.5C of heating, the minimum rise now expected, four of the five tipping
points move from being possible to likely, the analysis said. Also at 1.5C, an
additional five tipping points become possible, including changes to vast
northern forests and the loss of almost all mountain glaciers.
In total, the researchers found evidence for 16 tipping points, with the final
six requiring global heating of at least 2C to be triggered, according to the
scientists’ estimations. The tipping points would take effect on timescales
varying from a few years to centuries.
“The Earth may have left a ‘safe’ climate state beyond 1C global warming,” the
researchers concluded, with the whole of human civilisation having developed in
temperatures below this level. Passing one tipping point is often likely to
help trigger others, producing cascades. But this is still being studied and
was not included, meaning the analysis may present the minimum danger."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
