What the latest findings demonstrate is that crucial parts of the world’s climate system, though massive in size, are so fragile that they can be irremediably disrupted by human activity. It is inevitable that the warmer the world gets, the greater the risk that other parts of the Antarctic will reach a similar tipping point; in fact, we now know that the Wilkes Basin in East Antarctica, as big or even bigger than the ice sheet in the West, could be similarly vulnerable.
最新研究结果表明世界气候系统的关键部分尽管规模巨大但却极为脆弱，可能受到人类活动难以弥补的破坏。全球气温越高，南极洲其他部分达到类似临界点的风险必然也就越大；事实上，我们现在知道南极东部跟西部冰盖面积相仿、甚至更胜一筹的威尔克斯盆地很有可能也面临着同样的威胁。