A new report, based on findings from more than 200 researchers, sounds the alarm on climate tipping points - critical thresholds that, when crossed, will severely impact human life and disrupt global social and economic systems.
The Global Tipping Points Report, which will be presented at the U.N. climate conference COP28 on December 6, is the most comprehensive assessment of tipping points ever conducted. Climate Scientist and Chapman University Associate Professor Joshua Fisher is part of the international team that contributed to the findings.
The report warns that if current trends continue, at least five tipping points will likely be triggered – including the collapse of major ice sheets and the warming of coral reefs. Three more are threatened in the 2030s, and authors caution that other future climate events could threaten our ability to grow major staple crops.
"This report reminds us that climate change is not a distant threat but a stark reality knocking on our doorsteps. We are looking at irreversible consequences for our planet and civilization,” said Fisher. “But these findings also illuminate a path forward - our collective action has the power to help protect the planet for future generations."
Although the report concludes that “business as usual” is no longer possible, it highlights positive changes that, if multiplied, could save millions of lives and trillions of dollars in climate-related damage. Some of these examples include the expansion of renewable energy sources, increased use of electric vehicles, and wide acceptance of plant-based diets.
The authors provide six key recommendations to change course, including eliminating fossil fuel emissions by 2050, introducing positive changes in high-emitting sectors like transportation, and convening a global summit on tipping points.
Journalists can access the report ahead of the embargo by clicking here.
About Chapman University:
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution and offers personalized education to more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Based in the city of Orange, Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. In 2019, the university opened its 11th college, Fowler School of Engineering, in its newest facility, Keck Center for Science and Engineering. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Publication Date
5-Dec-2023