An extreme sea-level rise, forest fires, droughts: The time at which the consequences of climate change are unstoppable, could be achieved more quickly than previously thought. Prior to that, seven leading climate researchers warn in a commentary in the journal “Nature”.
The scientists see the nine points at which the earth System threatens to fall out of Balance. These “tipping points” near threat, what will be underestimated in the science so far. Tilting Ecosystems, so they can hardly be saved – even if humanity would suddenly live emission-free. Some tipping points may be already exceeded. The ice sheet of West Antarctica is shrinking, therefore, inexorably, the Eastern Antarctica is threatened with a similar fate. Also in the Northern hemisphere, the ice sheets go back dramatically. This development should not be stopped, could rise the sea level in the next year, thousands of up to ten meters.
at a certain point, no one could stop the consequences of climate change
the reason for this apocalyptic-seeming developments are increasing global temperatures. Already two decades ago, the intergovernmental panel on climate change had defined tipping points that, if they were exceeded, irreversible consequences for the global balance, and a chain could trigger a reaction. It was assumed that a global warming of five degrees Celsius would be in comparison to the pre-industrial era is necessary.
Now, the climate scientists warn that tipping points like the melting of the polar ice caps, floors, thawing permafrost, and forests in the Amazon region, as well as in polar Latitudes destroyed were only to stop if global warming were to remain at 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the preindustrial time is limited. In the face of previous plans for climate protection, the illusory is. Experts expect a global temperature rise of at least three degrees.
Particularly dangerous, it will, if tipping points are not exceeded and chain reactions are triggered. Signs of this are already there. The melting ice of the Arctic cools the North Atlantic current. Since the 1950s, the flow has already dropped by 15 percent. The parts of the world to follow in the other. It can lead to drought and Tree mortality in the Amazon rain forest. This, in turn, more carbon dioxide would enter the atmosphere.
exactly How all these factors interact is highly complex. It is therefore, the need to also admit the climate scientists, is hardly possible, a fail-safe forecast. Nevertheless, they were of the firm Conviction that humanity must be in the face of imminent, irreversible consequences immediately. “A mistake can be assumed, is not a responsible Option.”
Created: 29.11.2019, 13:59 PM
