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Study Finds 62% Risk of Climate Tipping Points Under Current Policies

New research highlights the potential for irreversible climate transformations but emphasizes that lower emissions and global action can mitigate risks.

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Floating ice is seen during the expedition of the Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise ship at the Arctic Ocean on Sept. 14, 2020.
Urgent action is needed to set us on a path to a sustainable future. (Nicole Glass Photography/Shutterstock)

Overview

  • The study, published in *Earth System Dynamics*, quantifies a 62% average risk of triggering multiple climate tipping points under existing global policies.
  • Scientists assessed 16 Earth system components, including ice sheets, coral reefs, and vast forests, to evaluate tipping point probabilities across five socioeconomic scenarios.
  • Findings indicate that carbon released by Amazon rainforest dieback and permafrost thaw is unlikely to trigger cascading tipping events in other systems.
  • Adopting sustainable, lower-emission pathways significantly reduces the risk of crossing critical thresholds, offering a window for preventive action.
  • Experts call for urgent global action and the activation of 'positive tipping points' in societal and economic systems to ensure a sustainable future.