The Dominance of Tipping Events in Climate Evolution

Two major tipping events, the Chicxulub meteor impact and the glaciation of the Southern hemisphere, have dominated the evolution of Earth's climate system over the past 66 million years. These events set the stage for further climate tipping and shaped the trajectory of future climate changes. If current anthropogenic climate change leads to deglaciation, it could represent a landmark tipping point with serious repercussions for the climate landscape. The study highlights the importance of understanding and mitigating the destabilization of tipping elements in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.