Climate feedbacks are processes in which changes in one part of a system trigger responses that affect other components, either amplifying or dampening the initial effects. For example, the melting of ice and snow reduces the reflection of sunlight, leading to increased temperatures, while deforestation and the loss of carbon from the soil contribute to rising CO₂ levels in the atmosphere. These mechanisms can exacerbate global warming and increase the climate's sensitivity to greenhouse gas emissions.
Among the 16 key "tipping points" are the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, mountain glaciers, sea ice, boreal forests, permafrost, and the Amazon rainforest, as well as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Disruption of even one of these systems can trigger a cascade of interconnected changes, accelerating global warming.
Destabilization of any element can lead to rising sea levels, intensified warming, and changes in global climate patterns, including shifts in rainfall belts. For example, if Greenland continues to lose ice, it will weaken AMOC currents, which in turn increases the risk of Amazon extinction.
"After millions of years of fluctuations between glacial periods and warmer phases, the Earth's climate stabilized over 11,000 years ago, which facilitated the development of agriculture and complex societies," explains ecology professor and lead researcher William Ripple. "Now we are moving away from this stability and may enter an era of unprecedented climate change."
The consequences of the climate crisis are already becoming evident: the ice sheets of Greenland and West Antarctica are losing their stability, while mountain glaciers and permafrost are on the brink of irreversible changes.
In the past year, global temperatures have exceeded pre-industrial levels by 1.5°C, and CO₂ levels have reached 420 parts per million, which is 50% higher than before the industrial revolution and a record for the last 2 million years.
These changes are leading to increasingly extreme and destructive natural disasters, including wildfires and floods.
Scientists are urgently calling for immediate actions, including expanding the use of renewable energy sources, protecting carbon ecosystems, phasing out fossil fuels, and implementing climate adaptation strategies. They also emphasize the need to monitor tipping points and develop risk management plans to avoid an uncontrollable scenario.
