Climate cascade: feedback loops could amplify one another, pushing Earth towards ‘hothouse’ state, warn scientists

Increase in global average surface temperatures, C

1 to 2.9

3 to 4.9

Above 5

Arctic

summer

ice sheet

Greenland

ice sheet

Jet

stream

El Niño

Ocean current

circulation

Amazon

rainforest

West Antarctic

ice sheet

East Antarctic

ice sheet

Note: Tipping points shown for

elements with potential interactions

Increase in global average surface temperatures, C

1 to 2.9

3 to 4.9

Above 5

Arctic

summer

ice sheet

Arctic

winter

ice sheet

Greenland

ice sheet

Jet

stream

Boreal

forest

Alpine

glaciers

Permafrost

Ocean

current

circulation

Indian

summer

monsoon

El Niño

Sahel

Coral

reefs

Amazon

rainforest

West

Antarctic

ice sheet

East

Antarctic

ice sheet