11,000 Scientists Warn Of 'Untold Suffering' Caused By 'Climate Emergency'

(CBS Local) -- More than 11,000 researchers from around the world issued a grim warning on Tuesday that the Earth is facing a "climate emergency" that could lead to "untold suffering" if we continue our current climate change trajectory.

"World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emergency," published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal BioScience, also said the climate crisis is accelerating faster than previously expected and is more severe than anticipated, leading to a threat to humanity.

"Especially worrisome are potential irreversible climate tipping points and nature's reinforcing feedbacks (atmospheric, marine, and terrestrial) that could lead to a catastrophic 'hothouse Earth,' well beyond the control of humans," the study reads.

"These climate chain reactions could cause significant disruptions to ecosystems, society, and economies, potentially making large areas of Earth uninhabitable," the paper continues.

The scientists, who come from over 150 countries, said the climate crisis is "closely linked to excessive consumption of the wealthy lifestyle."

"Despite 40 years of global climate negotiations, with few exceptions, we have generally conducted business as usual and have largely failed to address this predicament," they said.

The scientists listed six key issues that need to be addressed if humanity wants to prevent the most catastrophic scenarios.

These include replacing fossil fuels, reducing emissions of climate pollutants such as methane and soot, protecting and restoring ecosystems, consuming less animal products, building a carbon-free economy and stabilizing world population growth.