climate breakdown

plural climate breakdowns

1. uncountableusuallyHarmful anthropogenic climate change.

   The blistering heat hinted at the greater costs of climate breakdown to come. Blackouts were reported throughout the region as people trying to keep cool with fans and air conditioners strained the power grid.

   2021 June 29, Gabrielle Canon, “Historic heatwave, extreme drought and wildfires plague North American west”, in The Guardian

   2 more examples

   The world can still hope to stave off the worst ravages of climate breakdown but only through a “now or never” dash to a low-carbon economy and society, scientists have said in what is in effect a final warning for governments on the climate.

   2022 April 4, Fiona Harvey, “IPCC report: ‘now or never’ if world is to stave off climate disaster”, in The Guardian

   Human-caused climate breakdown is responsible for a higher likelihood of fire and bigger burned areas in southern Europe, northern Eurasia, the US and Australia, with some scientific evidence of increases in southern China.

   2025 August 10, Angela Giuffrida, “Wildfires close Mount Vesuvius trails while fierce blazes continue in France”, in The Guardian, →ISSN