Climate change

Tipping points

Mainly from Wikipedia.

Close tipping points

Greenland ice sheet

If melted, could increase sea levels by 7.2 meters. Tipping point is due to melt-elevation feedback: As it melts, its surface gets lower, and thus hotter.

Triggered by 1.5C [0.8, 3.0], takes 10k years [1k, 15k].

West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS)

The WAIS sits on bedrock below sea level, and has a subglacial basin underneath it (think bedrock | water | glacier). It’s contact with the ocean melts it. If the ocean melts it enough such that the ocean comes in contact with the subglacial basin, this heats up the basin and speeds up the melting of WAIS.

Triggered by 1.5C [1.0, 3.0], takes 2k years [500, 13k].