Is the collapse of civilisation inevitable? The accelerating melt of ice sheets is now "unmistakable", say scientists. Are we in a climate endgame?
Experts demand focus on planetary catastrophe
Meltdown: Seven of the worst melting years between 1992 and 2022 happened in the last decade. Glossary
Mayans - A complex civilisation that lived in modern day Central America from around 2000 BC. Eventually ruined by famine and conflict, the last Maya city was conquered by Spain in 1697.
Akkadians - An ancient empire in Mesopotamia, in today’s Middle East, scented around the city of Akkad. It peaked between the 24th and 22nd centuries BC.
Khmer - An empire that ruled present-day Cambodia between 802 and 1431 AD.
Mass extinction event - Since 1500, Earth could have lost up to 13% of its two million known species. The past five major species die-off events were caused by natural environment changes.
Mass migration - The large-scale movement of people from one geographical area to another.
Epidemics - A widespread disease. A pandemic is an epidemic which has spread across the entire world.
Industrial Revolution - A period of sudden, rapid industrialisation that transforms a country from an agricultural to an industrial economy.
Apocalypse - A Christian name for the end of the world. Descended from a Greek word meaning uncover, it was used to describe the Biblical book of Revelation.
Equanimity - Calmness and composure in a difficult situation.
Fossil fuels - Fuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming.
Carbon capture - Technology which captures carbon dioxide from the air and transports it to storage sites underwater, preventing it from warming the atmosphere.