Human activity and particularly the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial production, has driven global greenhouse gas emissions to record highs. According to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), global average surface temperatures are now about 1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels, already triggering widespread climate disruption. To keep warming below 1.5 °C, global emissions must fall by roughly 43 % by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, requiring deep and rapid transitions in energy, land use, and industry. Yet progress remains too slow, and continued emissions risk weakening Earth’s natural “carbon sinks” — the forests, soils, and oceans that absorb CO₂. Recent studies indicate that these sinks are losing efficiency, meaning every tonne of carbon emitted today has a larger and longer-lasting impact on the climate system. By removing the need for synthetic N-fertilisers and keeping our processes local, Eco Gin offers a lower carbon footprint to the industry standard.

While cutting carbon emissions is crucial, the stability of our nutrient cycles is equally essential to a healthy planet. The nitrogen cycle, which regulates how nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms, has been pushed far beyond safe limits by the overuse of synthetic fertilisers. Excess nitrogen washes into rivers and seas, creating algal blooms, dead zones, and acidified soils, while releasing nitrous oxide (N₂O), a greenhouse gas nearly 300 times more potent than CO₂. The breakdown of this cycle is one of the planetary boundaries scientists warn has already been breached. By working with crops like peas that naturally fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, Eco Gin supports agricultural systems that help restore this balance, reduce fertiliser dependency, and regenerate the soil.

Climate change is not a slow, linear process, it is shaped by tipping points. These are thresholds where small changes can trigger large, sometimes irreversible shifts. Examples include the collapse of major ice sheets, the dieback of the Amazon rainforest, or the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a vital ocean current system that regulates global temperatures. Once one tipping point is crossed, it can trigger cascading effects, amplifying warming and destabilising other Earth systems. The IPCC and other climate institutes warn that several tipping elements, such as coral reef ecosystems, may already be approaching these critical thresholds. Preventing such cascades requires rapid emission reductions and protecting the natural resilience of the planet’s interconnected systems.

To explore the science behind these challenges, the IPCC’s AR6 Synthesis Report provides a clear summary of current climate data, risks, and solutions. The Planetary Boundaries Framework (Stockholm Resilience Centre) explains the key Earth-system thresholds that humanity must remain within to preserve long-term stability, including those for carbon, nitrogen, and biodiversity. For readers seeking policy insights, the OECD’s Climate Tipping Points report outlines emerging risks and adaptive strategies. Further reliable information can be found through institutions such as the World Resources Institute, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and ongoing work by Planetary Guardians, a global coalition advocating for integrated planetary stewardship.

1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2023). Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Synthesis Report: Summary for Policymakers. Geneva: IPCC.

→ https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

2. IPCC (2023). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report (Full Volume). Geneva: IPCC.

→https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_FullVolume.pdf

3. Stockholm Resilience Centre (2023). The Planetary Boundaries Framework. Stockholm University.

→https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

4. Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J. et al. (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223), 1259855.

→https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1259855

5. OECD (2022). Climate Tipping Points: Insights for Effective Policy Action. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

→https://www.oecd.org/environment/climate-tipping-points-9994de90-en.htm

6. Armstrong McKay, D. I., et al. (2022). Exceeding 1.5 °C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points. Science, 377(6611), eabn7950.

→https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn7950

7. Boers, N. & Rypdal, M. (2023). Critical slowing down signals in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Nature Communications, 14, 1998.

→ https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37554-8

8. IPCC Working Group III (2022). Mitigation of Climate Change: Summary for Policymakers. Geneva: IPCC.

→ https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6-wg3/

9. Earth.org (2024). Tipping Points of Climate Change. Earth.org.

→ https://earth.org/tipping-points-of-climate-change/

10. Guardian (2025, October 13). Coral reefs, ice sheets and the Amazon rainforest approaching tipping points, scientists warn. The Guardian.

→https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/13/coral-reefs-ice-sheets-amazon-rainforest-tipping-point-global-heating-scientists-report

11. Planetary Guardians (2024). Restoring Balance: Protecting the Nine Earth Systems. Planetary Guardians Global Initiative.

→ https://planetaryguardians.earth

12. World Resources Institute (2024). State of Climate Action 2024. Washington, D.C.: WRI.

→ https://www.wri.org/research/state-climate-action-2024

13. Arora, V. K., et al. (2024). Declining land carbon sink efficiency in Earth system models and observations. arXiv preprint arXiv:2407.12447.

→ https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.12447