Hothouse Earth Closer: Scientists Warn of Irreversible Climate Change
Scientists warn the world is nearing a critical “point of no return” regarding global heating, beyond which runaway warming could trigger a cascade of irreversible tipping points. This could lead to a “hothouse Earth” climate, far more extreme than current projections and fundamentally altering the conditions under which human civilization developed. The public and policymakers are largely unaware of this imminent risk, emphasizing the vital need for immediate and drastic cuts to fossil fuel burning, as reversing course after passing this threshold would likely be impossible. Several Earth system components, including ice sheets and the Amazon rainforest, are showing signs of destabilization, underscoring the insufficient nature of current climate action commitments.
John Q. Hosedrinker