An early-warning system for climate ‘tipping points’ is an awful idea

Science funding is rarely a bad thing, and when it goes towards boosting our knowledge of the greatest threat to humanity, it has to be seen as a positive. So, the £81 million slated recently by the UK Advanced Research & Invention Agency to improve understanding of highly dangerous climate “tipping points” is most welcome. The manner in which the giveaway is framed, however, really isn’t.

According to the agency, the funding will support the creation of an early-warning system (EWS) that will “confidently predict when a system will tip”, alongside pinning down the timing of the tipping and the consequences.…