We cannot deny it any longer: climate change is causing more extreme weather. As the Earth warms more rapidly, the prospect of drastic changes in regional climates and ecosystems increases. Climate scientists refer to this as ‘tipping points.
When a regional climate or ecosystem passes such a tipping point, it changes so much in a relatively short time that a rapid return to its previous state is no longer possible. Well-known examples of this phenomenon include the disappearance of the Greenland ice sheet, the death of coral reefs in tropical zones, and the abrupt thawing of permafrost in regions around the North Pole.
Italian economist Andrea Titton has mapped the economic consequences of climate tipping points in a dissertation for the University of Amsterdam and developed a model to weigh the costs of tipping points against investments that limit global warming. Titton states that his model shows that investing in climate measures now is much cheaper compared to the economic costs of tipping points. For example, the model shows how the costs of timely investment in green energy compare to the risks of delaying it. Conclusion: measures in advance are better. Among other things, the model is aimed at becoming a tool for decision-makers in governments and companies.
