Report - ‘The Global Tipping Points Report 2023’
A Report launched at COP28 on 6 December 2023, demonstrating the risk of phosphorus pollution and methane emissions from lakes as a dangerous climate feedback.
Overview: The report was led by Professor Tim Lenton from the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute with the support of more than 200 researchers from over 90 organisations in 26 countries, including uP-Cycle team members. The report assesses risks and opportunities of negative and positive tipping points in the Earth system and society.
The report highlights that tipping points likely to be triggered include the collapse of major ice sheets and widespread mortality of warm-water coral reefs, increasing the risk of global-scale loss of capacity to grow staple crops. This could result in mass displacement of people, political instability and financial collapse. The Global Tipping Points Report makes six key recommendations:
Phase out fossil fuels and land-use emissions well before 2050.
Strengthen adaptation and “loss and damage” governance, recognising inequality between and within nations.
Include tipping points in the Global Stocktake (the world’s climate ‘inventory’) and each country’s efforts to tackle climate change.
Coordinate policy efforts to trigger positive tipping points.
Convene an urgent global summit on the issue.
Deepen knowledge of tipping points including an IPCC Special Report.
You can access the full report here:
T. M. Lenton, D.I. Armstrong McKay, S. Loriani, J.F. Abrams, S.J. Lade, J.F. Donges, M. Milkoreit, T. Powell, S.R. Smith, C. Zimm, J.E. Buxton, E. Bailey, L. Laybourn, A. Ghadiali, J.G. Dyke (eds), 2023, The Global Tipping Points Report 2023. University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
You can read about the report on this UKCEH web release.