Climate expert Alexei Kokorin, from the Nature and People Foundation, points out that the countries of Kiribati and the Maldives are threatened with extinction after ocean climate change has passed the point of no return, but when will that happen?
Commenting on a report published by The Guardian, the scientist says:
"When people talk about the point of no return, they may mean different things. As for Kiribati, this point has already been passed. This means that flooding is inevitable, as it is located in an area where sea levels are rising rapidly. So the question remains: when will this happen? But the reality is that this country is threatened with extinction. Even a 1.5-meter rise in sea level, coupled with the increasing frequency of storms and floods, will be catastrophic for it. The Maldives may face the same fate."
According to him, the international community's efforts are currently focused on curbing the exacerbation of global warming, with the aim of reducing the frequency and intensity of the dangerous weather events it causes. He explains that the primary danger lies not in the rise in average temperature itself, but in the increasing number and intensity of extreme events. Therefore, the goal is to stabilize the climate at a level that most countries can adapt to relatively easily.
He adds: “In short, we are talking about a temperature rise of about 2.5 degrees Celsius compared to 19th-century levels. No one is aiming to return to the climate of the 19th or even the 20th century; that is not on the table at all. Therefore, talking about a point of no return for the Earth as a whole may not be entirely accurate, as there is no plan to go back. The matter is extremely complex, and almost impossible.”
