How Close Are the Planet’s Climate Tipping Points?

According to Climate Action Tracker, the world is projected to warm between 2.5C and 2.9C, by 2100, based on current pledges and policies.

According to this New York Times article, mass death of coral reefs is projected to occur at between 1C and 2C of warming, abrupt warming of permafrost is projected to occur at between around 1C and 2.25C of warming, collapse of Greenland ice is projected to occur between 1C and 3C, breakup of West Antarctic ice at between 1C and 3C, sudden shift in the West African monsoon at between about 2C and 3.5C, loss of Amazon rainforest between about 2C and 6C, and shutdown of Atlantic currents at between about 1.5C and 8C.

The global average temperature has increased 1.17C above the long-term average from 1951 to 1980. That means we are already within the range at which mass death of coral reefs, abrupt warming of permafrost, collapse of Greenland ice, and the breakup of West Antarctic ice could occur.

5 comments

Look behind you.
- Yup
According to Climate Action Tracker, the world is projected to warm between 2.5C and 2.9C, by 2100, based on current pledges and policies.
According to this New York Times article, mass death of coral reefs is projected to occur at between 1C and 2C of warming, abrupt warming of permafrost is projected to occur at between around 1C and 2.25C of warming, collapse of Greenland ice is projected to occur between 1C and 3C, breakup of West Antarctic ice at between 1C and 3C, sudden shift in the West African monsoon at between about 2C and 3.5C, loss of Amazon rainforest between about 2C and 6C, and shutdown of Atlantic currents at between about 1.5C and 8C.
The global average temperature has increased 1.17C above the long-term average from 1951 to 1980. That means we are already within the range at which mass death of coral reefs, abrupt warming of permafrost, collapse of Greenland ice, and the breakup of West Antarctic ice could occur.
- Are occurring, but also could finish.
Doesn't matter where the tipping points are, humanity will dance straight past them, then do a little spin to flip them the bird as we moonwalk the rest of the way into oblivion.