Despite the growth of renewables, fossil fuel dependence keeps the planet on course to breach critical climate tipping points, threatening irreversible ecological damage

The planet is showing unmistakable signs of climate distress, with 22 of 34 key indicators of Earth’s health reaching record highs, according to a new global assessment led by Oregon State University in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

The study, published in BioScience, described a world “under severe stress”, with record global temperatures, surging greenhouse gas levels and rapid ice loss marking 2024 as the hottest year in modern history. Researchers warned that the Earth’s operating systems from polar ice sheets to ocean currents are approaching dangerous tipping points that could trigger irreversible feedback loops.

Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute and co-author of the report, said the findings show that “vital signs are breaking records by extraordinary margins”. The planet’s average surface temperature in 2024 surpassed any level seen in at least 125,000 years, with 2015–2024 confirmed as the hottest decade on record. By mid-2025, global surface temperatures were 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels well within the range considered perilous for human and ecological systems.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels breached 430 parts per million in May 2025, the highest concentration in millions of years. Methane and nitrous oxide also reached new highs, intensifying the greenhouse effect. Ocean heat content has likewise risen sharply, fuelling the largest coral bleaching event ever recorded, affecting 84 per cent of reefs between 2023 and 2025.

The study reported that Arctic and Antarctic ice melt continues at an unprecedented rate. Greenland has lost 5,540 gigatonnes of ice since the industrial era, while Antarctica has shed 2,660 gigatonnes. Together, these losses are contributing to rising sea levels and threatening coastal populations worldwide.

While renewable energy generation grew by over 16 per cent last year, fossil fuels remain dominant, with coal, oil and gas consumption reaching record levels. Energy-related emissions climbed to an all-time high of 40.8 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2024. Fossil fuel use remains 31 times greater than that of renewables, underlining the scale of transition still required.

“The accelerating climate crisis threatens the planet’s essential operating systems,” Rockström said. “But decisive action can still stabilise the Earth system.”

Lead author William Ripple added that the window for meaningful climate action is narrowing rapidly. “Every fraction of a degree matters. Mitigation strategies are available and cost-effective, but delay will make adaptation impossible.”

The report urged governments to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels, expand renewable capacity, and protect natural carbon sinks such as forests, mangroves and wetlands. It estimated that renewables could supply up to 70 per cent of global electricity by 2050 if supported by coherent policy and investment frameworks.

From heatwaves in South Asia to floods in North America and cyclones in Africa, climate-linked disasters in the past year reflect what the report calls “a global system under duress”. With the planet now dangerously close to multiple climate tipping points, the authors stressed that sustainability and decarbonisation are not optional but existential imperatives.