Petaling Jaya, Malaysia – Ambulance sirens blaring throughout cities amid deadly heat waves. Sustained wildfires that worsen cross-border air pollution and kill thousands. Weakening ocean currents that devastate crops and flood communities.

These are some of the signs of a planet approaching critical thresholds as a result of human-induced climate change. Beyond these climate tipping points, the Earth’s natural systems could undergo self-propelling, potentially irreversible changes.

How close are we to crossing the thresholds? And more importantly, what can Asia, home to about 60% of the world’s population, do to avert them? That was the central question at the four-day Global Tipping Points Conference held in Malaysia earlier this month.…