Evidence of the ever-changing nature of the Earth’s climate is that we are in a state of emergency on the planet, leading climate scientists have warned. A cascade of tipping points could amount to a global tipping point, where multiple
earth systems exceed a point of return, they say.
That possibility is an existential threat to civilization. This collapse of Earth’s systems could lead to global warming of 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius), sea-level rise of 20 to 30 feet, complete loss of the world’s coral reefs and Amazon
rainforest to hothouse earth conditions and large parts of the planet uninhabited.
Annual global temperatures are expected to warm at least 1 degree Celsius (1.8 F) for each of the next five years and are expected to exceed 1.5 ° C (2.7 F) in at least one year now and 2024. If these predictions are above meaning, the planet seems increasingly likely to be able to achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The West Antarctic ice sheet, for example, seems to be slowly declining. The latest data show that the same thing could happen to parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet, says a climate scientist at the University of Exeter in south-west England. If both melted, they could raise sea levels by 21 feet (7 meters) over the next few hundred years. “Exeter, where I am, was founded by the Romans 1,900 years ago. From now on, it will probably be underwater 1,500 years ago, he says. The legacy we leave behind should not be left to future generations, no
matter how far away they may be in the future.
increasing the risk of droughts, heatwaves, and other extreme weather events. Beyond the natural world, we can expect to see growing wars, displacement of large numbers of people, and deepening of global poverty.