A new study in the journal Science finds that even the most aggressive goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions aren’t sufficient to avoid several major climate change tipping points, in which rising temperatures cause irreversible damages that in turn cause more global warming. One of the most worrisome risks of climate change, for example, is that permafrost will continue to thaw, releasing planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that are currently embedded in the soil. In addition to thawing permafrost, other potential risks include “collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets” and “die-off of low-latitude coral reefs.” Another emerging tipping point is the dieback of the Amazon rainforest. “Dieback” refers to the risk that after logging and wildfires, the Amazon will no longer grow back as rainforest. The study’s publication was timed to coincide with a three-day conference, beginning Monday, to analyze climate tipping points.
By Ben Adler. YahooNews. September 12, 2022.
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