The world's top climate experts have warned that humanity's future hangs in the balance as Earth's vital signs have reached alarming record extremes. A 2023 report assessed 35 key indicators, with 25 showing worsening trends, including carbon dioxide levels and population growth, the Guardian reported. The report highlighted alarming rates of population growth, with 200,000 people added daily, and livestock increases, with 170,000 cattle and sheep added daily, resulting in record greenhouse gas emissions. The assessment has been published in the journal Bioscience.
Climate scientists also identified 28 alarming feedback loops that could accelerate catastrophic changes, including the melting of permafrost, which is releasing massive amounts of stored emissions. These loops increase the risk of triggering multiple tipping points, such as the collapse of the Greenland ice cap, with devastating consequences. The consequences of global heating are already evident, manifesting as increasingly deadly extreme weather events worldwide. This includes intense hurricanes in the US and scorching 50C heatwaves in India, leaving billions of people vulnerable to extreme heat.
The assessment further revealed alarming record levels of CO2 and methane in the atmosphere. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas 80 times more powerful than CO2 over 20 years, is emitted by various sources, including fossil fuel operations, waste dumps, cattle farming and rice fields.
These findings have prompted growing concerns among scientists about the potential for societal collapse.
The scientists said their goal was ''to provide clear, evidence-based insights that inspire informed and bold responses from citizens to researchers and world leaders – we just want to act truthfully and tell it like it is.''
''We're already in the midst of abrupt climate upheaval, which jeopardises life on Earth like nothing humans have ever seen. Ecological overshoot – taking more than the Earth can safely give – has pushed the planet into climatic conditions more threatening than anything witnessed even by our prehistoric relatives,” said Professor William Ripple, of Oregon State University (OSU), who co-led the group.
To mitigate the catastrophic consequences of climate change, swift and decisive action is crucial, experts urge. This includes:
- Drastically reducing fossil fuel burning and methane emissions
- Curbing overconsumption and waste, particularly among wealthy nations
- Promoting a shift towards plant-based diets
The assessment concluded, ''Only through decisive action can we safeguard the natural world, avert profound human suffering and ensure that future generations inherit the livable world they deserve. The future of humanity hangs in the balance.''
