The November COP 30 meeting in Brazil is approaching, and scientists have shared extremely concerning news about the impact of climate change.
Firstly, there has been a record-breaking rise in the concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. This is due to the world’s carbon sinks beginning to fail. A carbon sink is a system that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases, acting to regulate the Earth’s climate. Examples include oceans, forests, and soils, which store carbon through processes like photosynthesis. Carbon sinks are failing due to a combination of deforestation, land-use changes, and climate change impacts like droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat. These factors overwhelm natural systems’ capacity to absorb carbon, turning some sinks into sources, while rising ocean temperatures also weaken the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2.
So not only are we failing to stop burning fossil fuels, but the planet is now failing to absorb so much of the excess CO2.
Secondly, scientists from Exeter University say we have now reached a catastrophic tipping point, with warm water coral reefs facing a long-term decline that risks the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. The report was written by 160 scientists from 23 countries.
Tipping points are when a major ecosystem reaches a point where severe irreversible degradation is inevitable.
The world’s coral reefs are home to roughly a quarter of all marine species. “Unless we return to global mean surface temperatures of 1.2C (and eventually to at least 1C) as fast as possible, we will not retain warm-water reefs on our planet at any meaningful scale,” the report says.
Coral reefs have been suffering from a global bleaching event since January 2023 – the fourth and worst on record – with more than 80% of reefs in more than 80 countries affected by extreme ocean temperatures. This has pushed reefs into “uncharted territory”.
The world is on the brink of reaching other tipping points, including the dieback of the Amazon, the collapse of major ocean currents ( as reported here a fortnight ago) and the loss of ice sheets.
This is all very dire, but we must not despair; we must organise and do what we can to create positive change. The Exeter report also talks about positive tipping points, such as the growth of renewable energy and heat pumps. Social attitudes are also tipping. Concern about climate change is growing globally, and even small numbers of people can tip the majority.
Please join campaigners demanding Global Action at COP30 on November 15th. March from Devonshire Green to the City Hall, gathering at 11am.
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