climate breakdown

American  

[klahy-mit breyk-doun] / ˈklaɪ mɪt ˌbreɪk daʊn /

noun

Climatology.

1. the collective effects of harmful and potentially irreversible trends in climate, specifically those resulting from unchecked global warming.

   In September 2023, the United Nations announced that “climate breakdown has begun.”

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Etymology

Origin of climate breakdown

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

climate breakdown

Now, there is certainly a feeling of never having been more aware of our mortality collectively — the pandemic, of course, and facing the ongoing existential threat of climate breakdown.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2025

Supported by the government's payment for ecosystems services scheme, farmers could receive improved prices for plant-based produce, reflecting their contribution to enhancing agricultural resilience, climate breakdown mitigation, and improving public health.

From Salon ● Dec. 11, 2024

There are 16 kids who brought the lawsuit, and the majority of them actually testified and gave these really personal, really moving testimonies about the ways that climate breakdown has threatened their ways of life.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2023

“We want to have this conversation, and to bring it around to our demand about what we need to do to avoid climate breakdown and collapse,” Ms. Carrington said.

From New York Times ● Oct. 26, 2022

But his party colleague, Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, criticised the plan further, saying: "Instead of taking action to address injustices like racism and climate breakdown, they want to stop people sounding the alarm."

From BBC ● May 10, 2022