What is a tipping point?

A climate tipping point occurs when a slight change in forcing triggers a strongly nonlinear response in the internal dynamics of part of the climate system, qualitatively changing its future state. Human-induced climate change could push several large-scale ‘tipping elements’ past their respective tipping points. These elements include the Atlantic thermohaline circulation (THC), West Antarctic ice sheet, Greenland ice sheet, Amazon rainforest, boreal forests, West African monsoon, Indian summer monsoon, and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO).