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Policymakers have severely underestimated the risks of ecological tipping points – according to a study that shows 45% of all potential environmental collapses are interrelated and could amplify one another.
The authors said their paper – published in the journal Science – highlights how overstressed and overlapping natural systems are combining to throw up a growing number of unwelcome surprises.
‘The risks are greater than assumed because the interactions are more dynamic’ said Juan Rocha of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.
‘The important message is to recognise the wickedness of the problem that humanity faces’.
The study collated existing research on ecosystem transitions that can irreversibly tip to another state – such as coral reefs bleaching and being overrun by algae – forests becoming savannahs and ice sheets melting into oceans.
It then cross-referenced the 30 types of shift to examine the impacts they might have on one another and human society.
Only 19% were entirely isolated.
Another 36% shared a common cause but were not likely to interact.
The remaining 45% had the potential to create either a one-way domino effect or mutually reinforcing feedbacks.
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