Exeter scientists map climate ‘Turning Points’

Experts at the University of Exeter say the world needs to focus on finding “positive tipping points” – moments when small changes trigger big, lasting benefits for the environment – to speed up action against climate change.

Researchers from Exeter’s Global Systems Institute, working with an international team, have created a new method to help identify these tipping points and the steps needed to trigger them.

Examples already in action include the rapid rise of solar power and electric cars, where improvements in cost and performance make it easier for more people to switch, creating a snowball effect.

Professor Tim Lenton, who led the work, warned that the global economy is decarbonising “at least five times too slowly” to meet the Paris Agreement’s climate targets. “The challenge now is to identify potential positive tipping points, and the actions that can bring them forward,” he said.

Dr Steve Smith, also from Exeter, said the UK is close to a tipping point in the uptake of heat pumps, while other changes – such as a big drop in meat consumption – could come sooner than expected with the right policies, better alternatives, and social momentum. The team hopes their framework will be used by policymakers and campaigners worldwide to spark faster progress towards a sustainable future.