health
Amoc collapse could change Europe's climate 10x faster than expected. We aren't ready
The system of ocean current that moves heat in the Atlantic Ocean plays a key role in regulating climate. Today’s monitoring of it may be discontinued
TL;DR
- The Amoc is a vital ocean current system regulating global climate, with changes impacting food security, coastal flooding, storms, and more.
- Under climate change, the Amoc is projected to weaken, potentially causing radical weather changes and sea level rise in Europe.
- A collapse of the Amoc could lead to climate change in Europe occurring up to 10 times faster than currently experienced.
- Monitoring of the Amoc is minimal and under acute threat of discontinuation due to budget cuts, particularly in the US.
- Scarcity of direct, long-term Amoc observations leads to high scientific uncertainty regarding its future behavior.
- Sustained, open-access Amoc monitoring is essential for understanding future climate impacts and building resilience.
- The cost of Amoc monitoring is approximately €25 million per year, which is a small fraction of the potential societal cost of inaction.