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Orfeu Bertolami, a member of the research team, stated: 'The signs of climate change are very clear (droughts, heatwaves, extreme weather events...). If the Earth's system continues on this path of behavioral chaos, we will lose hope in addressing the issue'.
Earth regularly witnesses significant climate changes, transitioning between stable equilibrium states. These shifts are often caused by external factors such as changes in planetary orbit or a sudden increase in volcanic activity.
However, previous studies indicate that we are entering a new transition period driven by human activities, particularly carbon emissions. During this phase, weather patterns will fluctuate rapidly and unpredictably, making forecasting exceedingly difficult.
Thus, scientists suggest that human activities over the next few decades will play a crucial role in determining the future climate scenarios we will face. Controlling emissions will lead to different outcomes compared to continuing our current emission rates.
Using various computational models, research indicates that emission levels and human population will reach critical limits at some point in the future. In the best-case scenario, Earth's climate will stabilize at a higher temperature. While this may be unfavorable for humans with hotter temperatures and rising sea levels... at least it is predictable and stable.
Climate change is leading to extreme weather patterns such as heatwaves, with air temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many regions.
In the worst-case scenario, Earth's climate will plunge into true chaos, meaning utterly unpredictable. Crop seasons will wildly fluctuate on a decadal or even yearly basis.
Some years will witness extreme weather phenomena, while others will be remarkably tranquil. Temperatures will also oscillate from extremely cold to scorching hot from one year to the next.
Ultimately, controlling and steering Earth's climate towards equilibrium will be unattainable, threatening the survival of all life forms on the planet, not just humans. The ramifications for the biosphere will directly impact human life, such as failed harvests, famine, natural disasters... and once we've gone too far, there's no turning back.
Source: Livescience
