A research paper has been published in Nature Sustainability, on ecosystem tipping points and the likelihood of collapse occurring far sooner than previously believed. The study used computer models to analyse how different stresses, such as climate change, deforestation, water management, and pollution, can amplify and accelerate each other and cause a collapse. The study found that up to 15% of ecosystems worldwide, including the Amazon rainforest, are at risk of a breakdown within a human lifetime. The authors warn that more urgent action is needed to prevent these tipping points, as even small changes in a system can have big impacts. They also noted that some ecosystems, such as Lake Erhai in China, have shown signs of recovery after a tipping point.
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