tipping point

noun

Etymology: First use of the term appears c. 1959 in the New York Times.

1. The point at which a slow, reversible change becomes irreversible, often with dramatic consequences.
2. A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.
3. A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.
4. An irreversible change in the climate system.

   “It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying "tipping points" - delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth's temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures.”

   “Some researchers worry that rainforests will soon reach a tipping point — a point of no return in which the once-lush forests transition to arid regions.”