Scientists Warn That Earth's Vital Signs are Now 'Code Red' Amid Environmental Crisis and Climate Emergency

Earth is at "code red" as humanity faces the growing threat of environmental crisis and the risk of climate emergency, according to a new study by an international team of scientists led by the United States.

The "Special Report" released this week highlights that current human suffering is likely to worsen due to multiple climate-related disasters, including monster storms and extreme weather events like heat waves.

The scientific team emphasizes that almost half of Earth's "vital signs" are in critical conditions due to the elevated impact of climate change and global warming not only to people but also the to global environment.

This means the looming threat reportedly offers humans to choices; to make significant environment and climate-saving efforts or face the possibility of a global societal collapse in the future.

In recent years, climate scientists have predicted many times that Earth's animals and various marine, terrestrial ecosystems are either at risk of endangerment or extinction by the end of the 21st century.

These predictions are generated based on simulations using climate models that reflect the current elements of a major environmental and climatic disaster since the Industrial Revolution.

Code Red Warning

(Photo : Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Special Report was published in the journal BioScience on Wednesday, October 26, wherein William Ripple from the Oregon State University and his colleagues in the US and other countries concluded that the planet is facing a colossal climate crisis.

The team also urges other scientists, citizens, and world leaders to read the Special Report and take the necessary actions to avert the impact of climate change.

The assessment coincides with this year's 30th anniversary of the "World Scientists' Warning to Humanity," which emanated from the affixed signatures of over 1,700 scientists back in 1992.

During their original warning, there has been already a 40% increase in global greenhouse gas emissions.

The new research stated that the worsening climate emergency continues despite several written warnings issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a recent warning with almost 15,000 signatories from 158 countries.

Furthermore, the Special Report comes in time with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s report on Thursday, October 27, that there is an inadequate progress on climate action.

In particular, the UNEP said the international community still falls short of the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement or Paris Treaty of reaching the targeted 1.5 degrees Celsius global temperature.

Also Read: Earth Day 2022: Celebrating the Planet Amidst Various Environmental Crisis

Greenhouse Gases

The terms climate change and global warming have been used recurrently when it comes to the warming of the planet caused by the trapped greenhouse gases.

The UN, which spearheads the Paris Agreement, acknowledges that human activities like burning fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions contributes to such warming by accelerating the natural process of greenhouse effect.

Also known as the Paris Accords, the multinational legally binding treaty was agreed upon by 196 countries in Paris in 2015 and was implemented in November 2016.

The goal is to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably down to 1.5 degrees Celsius which is comparable to pre-industrial levels.