EARTH’S CLIMATE DEFENCES APPROACH DANGEROUS TIPPING POINTS AS AMAZON AND CORAL REEFS FACE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE
October 20, 2026
BERLIN, OCTOBER 20: Global warming driven by fossil-fuel emissions is accelerating, pushing some of the planet’s most important ecosystems towards potentially irreversible damage, climate scientist Johan Rockström has warned. The director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said coral reefs and the Amazon rainforest were approaching critical tipping points, while parts of the Atlantic Ocean’s circulation system faced the threat of collapse.
Speaking at the Reuters Sustainability Europe conference on Tuesday, Rockström warned that the world was on course to exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold within the next few years. Such a development would increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and place further pressure on natural systems already weakened by rising temperatures.
The Amazon rainforest and coral reefs are among the ecosystems facing particularly serious risks. The Amazon plays a crucial role in storing carbon and supporting biodiversity, while coral reefs sustain marine life and provide important ecological benefits to coastal communities. Continued warming could undermine their ability to recover from environmental stress, potentially triggering changes that would be extremely difficult or impossible to reverse.
Rockström also raised concerns about the Atlantic Ocean circulation system, including currents that transport warm water from the Caribbean towards western Europe and help regulate the region’s climate. A major weakening or collapse of this circulation could disrupt established climate patterns, with consequences extending far beyond the Atlantic.
The warning comes as the world prepares for the United Nations climate conference, COP31, scheduled to begin on November 9. The gathering is expected to place renewed attention on the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting further global temperature increases.
Rockström argued that businesses must treat climate change and the deterioration of nature as interconnected challenges rather than separate environmental concerns. Companies seeking to strengthen their resilience should prioritise decarbonisation while also investing in the protection and restoration of biodiversity, ecosystems and freshwater resources.
He also expressed concern over lobbying efforts to weaken measures intended to phase out vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. Subsidies supporting petrol and diesel, he warned, can undermine consumer demand for electric vehicles and slow the transition away from fossil fuels.
The climate scientist’s warning highlights the danger of approaching environmental tipping points, where gradual warming can trigger abrupt and potentially irreversible changes. Unlike many conventional environmental problems, such changes may not be easily corrected even if emissions are reduced later.
The challenge facing governments and businesses is therefore twofold: rapidly reduce the emissions responsible for global warming and protect the natural systems that help sustain life on Earth. With critical ecosystems under mounting pressure, the coming years could prove decisive in determining how much of the planet’s ecological stability can still be preserved.
