Is the planet hitting a climate tipping point?

As 2024 sets new global temperature records, scientists are pointing to a growing number of warning signs that Earth may be approaching a critical climate tipping point.

The Atlantic Ocean’s main current system, known as AMOC, has weakened by 15% since 1950 and may be nearing collapse. At the same time, coral reefs worldwide are suffering the largest bleaching event ever recorded, with many feared to be beyond recovery.

In the Amazon, 2024 brought the worst drought on record. Rivers dropped to historic lows, and wildfires ravaged vast areas of rainforest. Meanwhile, in Iceland, rapidly melting glaciers are reducing pressure on the Earth’s crust, potentially triggering more underground magma activity and increasing the risk of volcanic eruptions.

Scientists say these signals, seen across oceans, forests, and polar regions, are indicators that climate change is accelerating and pushing the planet closer to irreversible change.