Climate researchers in Corvallis are warning that rising global temperatures could create an irreversible feedback loop.
The analysis, led by an Oregon State University professor, looked at 16 natural features across the globe that could fail due to climate change—including the drying out of the Amazon Rainforest, the melting of ice sheets, and the thawing of permafrost.
The researchers flagged 10 of those features, saying they would further increase temperatures if they failed, such as by releasing trapped gas or making the earth absorb more solar radiation.
Jillian Gregg, study co-author and CEO of Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates, said each of these failures could then speed up the collapse of the other systems, leading to a “hothouse trajectory.”
Gregg said once this path is set, it would be nearly impossible for humans to stop, even if they began lowering or eliminating carbon emissions.
“Essentially, the boulder is going off over the edge of the cliff,” she said. “Then there we are, and we're on this trajectory, and we don't have recourse in how to get back.”
Gregg said this study is looking to inform the public and policymakers who may be currently unaware of the risks.
She said it’s not clear how much time is left to change course. She said she’s still hopeful, but it’s important to take action now.
“The window to steer away from a hothouse trajectory is still open,” said Gregg. “And we just want people to know that it is narrowing and it will not always be there.”
The analysis was published in the scientific journal One Earth, and also includes co-authors from institutions in Denmark, Germany, and Austria.
One day after its release, the Trump administration announced that the Environmental Protection Agency would no longer regulate greenhouse gases.
