Global report warns that key ecosystems, including the Amazon and coral reefs, are nearing critical tipping points as temperatures rise faster than expected

Global ecosystems are approaching irreversible thresholds as rising temperatures push the planet closer to the first stage of climate-driven collapse, according to the Global Tipping Points Report 2025.

The assessment, authored by more than 160 scientists worldwide, warns that coral reefs are on the verge of permanent loss and that the Earth’s natural systems are changing at an alarming pace. The findings come weeks ahead of the COP30 climate summit, to be held in November on the fringes of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

The study has revised down the estimated temperature limit for the Amazon system, stating that the rainforest could begin to collapse once average global temperatures exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This marks a sharper warning than previous estimates, with deforestation and warming trends acting in tandem to destabilise the region.

The Amazon’s resilience is also linked to wider climatic patterns, particularly the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc), a major oceanic system that moderates Europe’s winters. Disruptions to such interconnected systems could have cascading global impacts, the report cautions.

Despite the dire warnings, the report highlights signs of progress. In the first half of 2025, renewable energy generation surpassed coal for the first time on record, according to data from the think tank Ember.

Scientists are urging governments convening at COP30 to commit to rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. With global temperatures already 1.3°C to 1.4°C higher than pre-industrial levels, the pace of change is exceeding projections, raising the stakes for decisive climate action.