ABSTRACT
Nothing is more important to the sustenance of life on Earth than the sustainability of the atmosphere, and no part of the Earth System is more susceptible to catastrophic damage from human activities than is the atmosphere. Unfortunately, there is evidence to suggest that, especially as a result of the continued massive discharge into the atmosphere of energy-absorbing greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion, Earth’s atmosphere is coming perilously close to a tipping point beyond which its preservation in a state conducive to life on Earth as we know it may become impossible.
