Gulf Stream collapse threat looms: Impact on global climate
Scientists have long warned about the potential collapse of the Gulf Stream, which could have catastrophic consequences for the entire planet. This phenomenon poses a threat to billions of people across multiple continents.
Research indicates that the Gulf Stream, a key ocean current in the North Atlantic, may collapse due to climate change. Scientists have long warned that this signifies exceeding a critical point in the Earth's climate system.
Consequences of the Gulf Stream collapse
The collapse of the Gulf Stream could lead to significant climate changes. Potential consequences include a rise in Atlantic sea levels, a decrease in temperatures in Europe, and stronger storms in the Northern Hemisphere.
Experts emphasize that these changes could also disrupt rainfall, which will affect the food supply for billions of people in India, Africa, and South America.
Two states of AMOC
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), of which the Gulf Stream is a part, can exist in two stable states: stronger and weaker. Currently, humanity relies on the stronger state, but abrupt transitions to a weaker state are possible.
Niklas Boers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany emphasizes that current observations point to an alarming trend. "The findings support the assessment that the AMOC decline is not just a fluctuation or a linear response to increasing temperatures but likely means the approaching of a critical threshold beyond which the circulation system could collapse," the scientist said several years ago. Since then, no observations have suggested that AMOC is moving towards a milder state.
Need for action
Scientists are unsure exactly when the Gulf Stream might collapse, but they warn that it could happen within a decade or several. Therefore, they have long called on governments to take action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to prevent a climate catastrophe.
