Leading climate scientists are urging Nordic leaders to take immediate action as critical Atlantic Ocean currents could potentially collapse.
In a letter shared online on Monday, October 21st, climate expert Michael Mann from the University of Pennsylvania, along with other prominent scientists, warned that the dangers of these currents weakening have been underestimated. They stressed that urgent action is needed to prevent severe global consequences.
Slowing down of Atlantic currents
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which includes the Gulf Stream, plays a vital role in transporting heat to the Northern Hemisphere. New research shows these currents are slowing down due to global warming, and, if they stop, it could lead to drastic climate changes worldwide.
Nordic countries, such as Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, would be particularly affected by extreme cooling and severe weather.
The letter highlights that an AMOC collapse would worsen an existing “cold blob” in the eastern North Atlantic, where heat-moving currents have already slowed down. Scientists also warn that the collapse could trigger far-reaching impacts.
This might include disrupted agriculture in Northwestern Europe and significant shifts in the global climate system. Other regions would feel the effects, too.
If the AMOC stops, tropical monsoon systems would shift south, leading to devastating impacts on agriculture and ecosystems in those regions. The collapse could also raise sea levels along the American Atlantic coast, causing further harm to marine ecosystems and fisheries.
The urgency to take action
Mann and the other scientists part of the study have emphasized that while the exact timing of a potential AMOC collapse is uncertain, action must be taken now.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated there is “medium confidence” that the AMOC will not collapse abruptly before 2100. However, the scientists argue that this assessment is too optimistic and underestimates the actual risk.
The letter by the climate experts voices concern over this uncertainty, maintaining that the IPCC’s estimate is not reassuring. The scientists emphasize that even with a “medium confidence” level, the risk is too significant to merely ignore. They argue that a potential collapse, while not guaranteed, would be catastrophic, with long-lasting effects on the entire planet and life in general.
Addressed to the Nordic Council of Ministers, the letter urges policymakers to take the threat seriously. The scientists call for increased efforts to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
This aims to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. They also encourage Nordic leaders to urge international partners to prioritize climate action so as to mitigate devastating outcomes.
The message is clear: Without immediate and decisive action, the world faces potentially irreversible damage from collapsing ocean currents.
