The Major Dominoes

The Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets are among the most concerning tipping points. Both contain enough water to raise global sea levels by meters if fully melted. Current evidence suggests Greenland's tipping point may lie between 1.5 and 2 degrees of warming — a range we are approaching.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) — the ocean current system that includes the Gulf Stream — could slow dramatically or collapse. Freshwater from melting Greenland ice dilutes the salty water that drives the current.