Executive Summary, Healthy Planet Action Coalition Strategic Narrative
Modified from the original Executive Summary, HPAC Strategic Plan, March 23, 2025
In 2024, Earth’s temperature suddenly jumped above the dangerous 1.5 degree C (2.7 F) warming above normal “Paris target”, and many now project warming to breach 2 C by 2040 to 2045. The frequency of extreme weather events and impacts are accelerating even faster. There has been repeated recent publishing in peer review journals on the activation of warming-caused degradation of Earth systems (different forest systems across the world, ocean currents, ice sheets, permafrost, corals, and other ocean processes, etc.) is mounting evidence that catastrophic, largely irreversible Earth systems collapses (known as tipping elements) will be the result if we do not lower our climate’s temperature back to within the evolutionary boundaries of our Earth systems before they become so degraded they cannot be restored. This threshold temperature of the maximum warmth of our old climate is below 1 degree C (1.8 F) warming above normal and 350 ppm CO2 in our atmosphere. The time frame or point of no return for this climate restoration is cited as about “mid-century” where, if we do not have our Earth cooled back to within the evolutionary boundaries of our systems by then, natural feedback emissions from foregone systems collapses will dwarf humankind’s.
In 2024, Earth’s temperature suddenly jumped above the dangerous 1.5 degree C (2.7 F) warming above normal “Paris target”, and many now project warming to breach 2 C by 2040 to 2045. The frequency of extreme weather events and impacts are accelerating even faster. There has been repeated recent publishing in peer review journals on the activation of warming-caused degradation of Earth systems (different forest systems across the world, ocean currents, ice sheets, permafrost, corals, and other ocean processes, etc.) is mounting evidence that catastrophic, largely irreversible Earth systems collapses (known as tipping elements) will be the result if we do not lower our climate’s temperature back to within the evolutionary boundaries of our Earth systems before they become so degraded they cannot be restored. This threshold temperature of the maximum warmth of our old climate is below 1 degree C (1.8 F) warming above normal and 350 ppm CO2 in our atmosphere. The time frame or point of no return for this climate restoration is cited as about “mid-century” where, if we do not have our Earth cooled back to within the evolutionary boundaries of our systems by then, natural feedback emissions from foregone systems collapses will dwarf humankind’s.
It is fundamentally import to understand that once system degradation begins, it does not stop unless the thing that caused it to begin is removed. This means that even if we magically halted all warming this instant, ongoing systems collapses will complete with untenable natural feedback emissions. These natural feedback emissions will create effects that, like their quantity, will dwarf current projections of effects from warming because these projections do not include systems collapse responses. This means future effects from collapsing Earth systems will dwarf those suggested by climate science literature in a world hotter than 2 or 3 degrees C warming above normal.
The Healthy Planet Action Coalition (HPAC) was formed in 2021, to advocate for implementing worst-case, end of century cooling strategies immediately, with emergency urgency because, projections of activation of tipping collapses of our current climate culture of the later part or end of this century have now been significantly overwhelmed. This is a new reality that our slow and understated climate culture and climate science consensus organization that we all depend upon for the best climate information; cannot yet communicate because this culture is slower than the speed of our accelerating climate change.
The cure is no longer limiting warming to 1.5 C, and certainly not at 2100. The challenge now is to cool Earth back to within the evolutionary boundaries of her systems by mid-century so these systems have a chance at self restoration to prevent untenable effects from natural feedback emissions. to do this we must do everything we known how to do, all at the same time, with emergency urgency: accelerate emission reductions, implement large-scale greenhouse gas removals, and direct cool through sunshine reflection. This blended three-point strategy is called the Climate Triad. It should be accompanied by aggressive and transformative adaptation to the accelerating damages that are happening now and that are anticipated in the very near future.
HPAC focuses on advocacy of the safest and most effective deployment of direct climate cooling. Others focus on emissions reductions, net zero, and decarbonization, and on carbon dioxide removal in many of its varied forms. We advocate that a mission-driven approach to research and deployment be led directly led by governments or through newly created or existing international agencies. The initial challenges to, and opportunities for, the achievement of the mission have been documented in an HPAC SWAT analysis. LINK LINK LINK LINK LINK LINK
Tackling dangerous climate change requires a good understanding of the current uncertainty and evolving context of economic, technological, institutional and political settings. this is why we have assembled a team of over 200 scientists, engineers, and advocacy and policy experts to guide this vision of emergency climate restoration. In an international policy context, HPAC encourages the adoption of a Belem Climate Accord by Heads of State at COP30 in 2025 , that can restores a safe and healthy climate in before mid-century.
With this sound and bold HPAC approach to avoiding unimaginable levels of climate change induced suffering, death, and destruction, and the possible collapse of civilization, we present here our strategy: It includes the long-term framework for action to reduce global warming to less than 1 degree C above normal and no more than 350 ppm CO2 in our atmosphere in the coming decades.
The purposes of our strategy is: Developing the most effective and realistic directions to align HPAC members; documenting how we will accomplish our immediate agendas during the coming three years and the long term goals in coming decades; guiding the direct HPAC activities; and enabling the preparation of annual work plans and subsidiary briefs and brochures for communication with the public, partners and potential philanthropists. As with any strategy, it should be reviewed periodically and revised as appropriate.
HPAC Strategic Plan LINK LINK LINK LINK LINK LINK
