Understanding Climate Tipping Points and Planetary Health

Climate change is often described as a gradual process, but there are points where a system can change much more rapidly, and potentially in ways that are difficult or impossible to reverse. These are what scientists call tipping points. They can happen in the climate and natural world, but they can also affect food systems, economies and, ultimately, human health. While we often hear about the risks of crossing these thresholds, there is another side to the idea: positive tipping points, where changes in technology, policy or behaviour can gather momentum and accelerate. So what exactly is a tipping point, how close are we to some of them, and what can we actually do to influence the direction we're heading in? To explore these questions, we speak to Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health at Sunway University, and Co-Chair of the Global Tipping Points Conference 2026.

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