Energy & Science
Global Climate Tipping Points Could Arrive In a Matter of Years
A study of dozens of habitats suggests that the current stability of large parts of the planet may vanish faster than previously thought.
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Irreversible changes may start reshaping the world’s ecosystem as soon as the next few years—much sooner than previously thought.
A new study published Tuesday in Nature Communications examines the mechanics of these tipping points in 40 separate ecosystems, including forests, coral reefs, and marshes. Drawing on pre-existing studies and modeling, the authors suggest that the apparent stability of the world’s largest ecosystems is “a deceptive guide to the potential speed of their collapse.”