Scientists say the planet is approaching a potential point of no return, where global heating could trigger irreversible climate tipping points. Continued warming may set off cascading feedback loops that push Earth into a far hotter and less stable state known as “hothouse Earth”. Researchers warn that even a 2–3C rise would severely disrupt society, while a hothouse scenario could bring far more extreme and lasting consequences.
The assessment, published in One Earth, reviewed evidence on 16 major tipping elements, including the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, the Amazon rainforest and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Some systems, such as parts of Greenland and west Antarctica, may already be destabilising.
Christopher Wolf said policymakers and the public remain largely unaware of how close thresholds may be. William Ripple warned that weakening ocean currents and Amazon dieback could amplify warming further. Experts stress that rapid cuts to fossil fuel use are essential, as reversing course may prove impossible once certain tipping points are crossed.
