Global warming is reaching critical levels earlier than anticipated, leading to a near irreversible decline of the world’s coral reefs, signifying the initial “tipping point” in climate-induced ecosystem collapse, as stated by scientists on Monday. The Global Tipping Points report, crafted by 160 researchers globally, highlights these dire warnings just ahead of the upcoming COP30 climate summit scheduled at the periphery of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
The report underscores that the Amazon rainforest faces risks of collapse once the global average temperature exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius due to deforestation rates, adjusting the previous threshold estimate for the Amazon. Moreover, the potential disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a crucial ocean current ensuring mild winters in northern Europe, looms if temperatures continue to rise.
Tim Lenton, an environmental scientist at the University of Exeter and the lead author of the report, emphasized the rapid changes occurring in certain climate and biosphere aspects. However, there are positive indicators regarding the reduction of fossil fuel use responsible for climate change. Renewables have surpassed coal in electricity generation for the first time this year, according to data from Ember, a non-profit think tank.
Despite the alarming trends, Lenton urged countries to collaborate at COP30 in November to curb carbon emissions driving climate change. Scientists are astonished by the swift unfolding of environmental transformations, with global temperatures already surpassing 1.3-1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, as per data from UN and EU science agencies.
The past two years have been the warmest on record, witnessing marine heat waves that severely impacted 84% of the world’s reefs, causing bleaching and mortality. Coral reefs support a quarter of marine life, emphasizing the urgency for enhanced climate actions to lower temperatures back to just 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels for coral recovery.
Pep Canadell, a senior scientist at Australia’s CSIRO Climate Science Centre, highlighted the escalating negative impacts of climate change each year, as outlined in the recent report.
