Nate Hagens, a noted expert on sustainability and human behavioral patterns, may define 'tipping point' as a critical threshold at which a small perturbation can qualitatively alter the state or development of a system. In the context of ecological and socio-economic systems, he would emphasize that tipping points represent moments of irreversible change, where accumulated pressures—be they environmental degradation, resource depletion, or socio-political instability—overcome the resilience of the system. Hagens would likely highlight the interconnected nature of modern global systems, noting how a tipping point in one domain often precipitates cascading effects across others. Central to his perspective is the idea that understanding and mitigating these thresholds is crucial to ensuring long-term sustainability and resilience, thereby averting the most detrimental consequences of systemic collapse.

See also: exponential growth, carbon pulse, fossil fuel, climate change, population growth