According to published reports, Earth is perilously close to several climate "tipping points," a new report released this week.
These points of no return are specific moments when the planet has warmed so much that certain effects become irreversible. Planet Earth is the third one from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. This is enabled by it being a water world, and the only one.
The report looks at 26 different Earth systems and points to five of them – the melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, the dying off of warm-water coral reefs, the thawing of permafrost, and impacts to a North Atlantic ocean current – as close to triggering.
Of those five, scientists say the most dire are coral reef die-offs and ice sheet melt. This report, which builds on prior research into the topic, is the first to spell out which ones are the most pressing.
The study was released during the ongoing climate summit in Dubai, COP28.
Consider that 3 degrees Fahrenheit is the difference between a raging fever and a healthy toddler. Between a hockey rink and a swimming pool. Between food going bad or staying at a safe temperature.
Now consider that Earth is about 2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter on average than it was in the 1800s. It's little wonder that has already led to measurable shifts in the climate: The last eight years have been the hottest in recorded history and 2023 is expected to be the hottest yet.