n clmt scnc, tppng pnt s crtcl thrshld tht, whn crssd, lds t lrg, cclrtng nd ftn rrvrsbl chngs n th clmt systm. f tppng pnts r crssd, thy r lkly t hv svr mpcts n hmn scty nd my cclrt glbl wrmng. Tppng bhvr s fnd crss th clmt systm, fr xmpl n c shts, mntn glcrs, crcltn pttrns n th cn, n csystms, nd th tmsphr. xmpls f tppng pnts ncld thwng prmfrst, whch wll rls mthn, pwrfl grnhs gs, r mltng c shts nd glcrs rdcng rth's lbd, whch wld wrm th plnt fstr. Thwng prmfrst s thrt mltplr bcs t hlds rghly twc s mch crbn s th mnt crrntly crcltng n th tmsphr.
Tppng pnts r ftn, bt nt ncssrly, brpt. Fr xmpl, wth vrg glbl wrmng smwhr btwn 0.8 °C (1.4 °F) nd 3 °C (5.4 °F), th Grnlnd c sht psss tppng pnt nd s dmd, bt ts mlt wld tk plc vr mllnn. Tppng pnts r pssbl t tdy's glbl wrmng f jst vr 1 °C (1.8 °F) bv prndstrl tms, nd hghly prbbl bv 2 °C (3.6 °F) f glbl wrmng. t s pssbl tht sm tppng pnts r cls t bng crssd r hv lrdy bn crssd, lk ths f th Wst ntrctc nd Grnlnd c shts, th mzn rnfrst nd wrm-wtr crl rfs.
dngr s tht f th tppng pnt n n systm s crssd, ths cld cs cscd f thr tppng pnts, ldng t svr, ptntlly ctstrphc, mpcts. Crssng thrshld n n prt f th clmt systm my trggr nthr tppng lmnt t tp nt nw stt. Fr xmpl, c lss n Wst ntrctc nd Grnlnd wll sgnfcntly ltr cn crcltn. Sstnd wrmng f th nrthrn hgh lttds s rslt f ths prcss cld ctvt tppng lmnts n tht rgn, sch s prmfrst dgrdtn, nd brl frst dbck.
Scntsts hv dntfd mny lmnts n th clmt systm whch my hv tppng pnts. s f Sptmbr 2022, nn glbl cr tppng lmnts nd svn rgnl mpct tppng lmnts r knwn. t f ths, n rgnl nd thr glbl clmt lmnts wll lkly pss tppng pnt f glbl wrmng rchs 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). Thy r th Grnlnd c sht cllps, Wst ntrctc c sht cllps, trpcl crl rf d ff, nd brl prmfrst brpt thw.
Tppng pnts xsts n rng f systms, fr xmpl n th crysphr, wthn cn crrnts, nd n trrstrl systms. Th tppng pnts n th crysphr ncld: Grnlnd c sht dsntgrtn, Wst ntrctc c sht dsntgrtn, st ntrctc c sht dsntgrtn, rctc s c dcln, rtrt f mntn glcrs, prmfrst thw. Th tppng pnts fr cn crrnt chngs ncld th tlntc Mrdnl vrtrnng Crcltn (MC), th Nrth Sbplr Gyr nd th Sthrn cn vrtrnng crcltn. Lstly, th tppng pnts n trrstrl systms ncld mzn rnfrst dbck, brl frst bm shft, Shl grnng, nd vlnrbl strs f trpcl pt crbn.