Harmful tipping points in the natural world pose some of the gravest threats faced by humanity. Their triggering will severely damage our planet’s life-support systems and threaten the stability of our societies.
In the Summary Report:
• Narrative summary
• Global tipping points infographic
• Key messages
• Key Recommendations
Executive summary
• Section 1
• Section 2
• Section 3
• Section 4
This report is for all those concerned with tackling escalating Earth system change and mobilising transformative social change to alter that trajectory, achieve sustainability and promote social justice.
In this section:
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Key Concepts
• Approach
• References
Considers Earth system tipping points. These are reviewed and assessed across the three major domains of the cryosphere, biosphere and circulation of the oceans and atmosphere. We then consider the interactions and potential cascades of Earth system tipping points, followed by an assessment of early warning signals for Earth system tipping points.
Considers tipping point impacts. First we look at the human impacts of Earth system tipping points, then the potential couplings to negative tipping points in human systems. Next we assess the potential for cascading and compounding systemic risk, before considering the potential for early warning of impact tipping points.
Considers how to govern Earth system tipping points and their associated risks. We look at governance of mitigation, prevention and stabilisation then we focus on governance of impacts, including adaptation, vulnerability and loss and damage. Finally, we assess the need for knowledge generation at the science-policy interface.
Focuses on positive tipping points in technology, the economy and society. It provides a framework for understanding and acting on positive tipping points. We highlight illustrative case studies across energy, food and transport and mobility systems, with a focus on demand-side solutions (which have previously received limited attention).
Digital technologies, devices and applications have the potential to support decarbonisation (Blanco et al., 2022) and promote PTPs in all sectors and countries. Yet, this enabling role does not arise independently. Strategic interventions can ensure that digitalisation becomes an enabler for, rather than a barrier to, sustainable change. Importantly, two types of strategies and policies are relevant in this respect. On the one hand, framework policies need to ensure the social steering of digitalisation so that its agenda is aligned with that of climate mitigation and more broadly to sustainable development. Second, specific policies need to be tailored to respond to heterogenous challenges across sectors as well as within and across countries. A specific challenge common across many sectors is efficiency-induced scale and rebound effects that increase overall levels of consumption if digitalisation makes accessing goods and services cheaper, easier, quicker or more convenient. Such scale and rebound effects would need to be recognised and appropriately dealt with in comprehensive climate policy packages.