•Scientists outline stark future scenarios for the Antarctic Peninsula, warning that current choices will determine irreversible environmental damage.
•Three emissions pathways (low, medium-high, high) were modeled, reflecting 1.8, 3.6, and 4.4 degrees of warming compared to pre-industrial levels.
•Higher emissions lead to faster ocean warming, ice erosion, increased ice shelf collapse, and a 20% reduction in sea ice, disrupting food chains.
•Many species are expected to migrate south, with warm-blooded predators potentially enduring shifts better than their prey.
•Urgent action is essential as lower emissions could soften ice losses and preserve glaciers, while higher emissions risk permanent, irreversible regional transformation.
