9.  What is a “Tipping Point”?

In 2004, John Schellnhuber, distinguished science advisor at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in the United Kingdom, identified 12 global warming tipping points, any one of which, if triggered, will likely initiate sudden, catastrophic changes across the planet.

The 12 tipping points are:

1.      Amazon Rainforest

2.      North Atlantic Current

3.      Greenland Ice Sheet

4.      Ozone Hole

5.      Antarctic Circumpolar Current

6.      Sahara Desert

7.      Tibetan Plateau

8.      Asian Monsoon

9.      Methane Calthrates

10.  Salinity Valves

11.  El Nino

12.  West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Compounding the problem is the fact that if one or two Tipping Points go – they all go.

L.E.A.R.N. more about Tipping Points:  www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/11/13th_tipping_point.html