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By 2035, scientists predict that a 2°C (3.6°F) rise in global temperatures will unleash a series of devastating consequences, including widespread flooding in coastal areas, intense heatwaves, and powerful storms. Image source: TheCrimsonMonkey/Getty ImagesKey Highlights
- Experts warn that by 2035, we may reach an irreversible tipping point for climate action, after which catastrophic events will become unavoidable.
- Human-driven activities, such as increasing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, are accelerating irreversible changes to the Earth's climate system.
- Swift and decisive action is urgently needed to reduce emissions and minimize the most severe impacts of climate change before this critical threshold is reached.
The time to act is now, especially when it comes to climate change. If the world’s leading governments fail to implement policies to curb global warming, it may soon become impossible to halt its progress, according to a study published on Aug. 30, 2018, in the journal Earth System Dynamics.
The study, conducted by researchers from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, predicts that by 2035, we will pass an irreversible tipping point—after which preventing Earth's temperature from rising by 2°C (3.6°F) and triggering a series of devastating global disasters will be highly improbable.
"The concept of the 'point of no return' is valuable because it provides a time frame, which we believe is crucial for emphasizing the urgency of taking climate action," said Matthias Aengenheyster, a doctoral researcher at Oxford University and the lead author of the study, in a statement.
The 2°C threshold is critical for the planet's survival. Once the Earth warms by an additional 2°C, scientists predict a variety of catastrophic impacts, including widespread coastal flooding, extreme heatwaves, and violent storms.
One key factor that could delay reaching the 2035 point of no return is the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. However, this transition will require significant effort. Scientists have calculated that the global share of renewables must increase by at least 2 percent annually to slow the progress of climate change. While 2 percent may seem small, between 1997 and 2017, the percentage of energy from renewables only grew by a mere 3.6 percent.
There is still hope. If the pace of renewable energy adoption surpasses the model predicted by scientists, say by 5 percent annually, the climate change deadline could be pushed back by at least a decade, according to the researchers. Additionally, advancements in technologies that capture carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere could help slow the progression of climate change. These gases alter the Earth's atmosphere, trapping more heat from the sun and causing temperatures to rise.
"We hope that setting a 'deadline' will inspire politicians and policymakers to feel a sense of urgency to act," said Henk Dijkstra, a professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and one of the study's authors, in a statement. "There is very little time left."
The warming atmosphere makes polar regions particularly vulnerable. In the Arctic, temperatures are rising at twice the rate they are elsewhere, resulting in the rapid melting of the world's ice sheets. This poses serious consequences for humans, wildlife, and plants globally as sea levels continue to rise.
