A group of scientists issued a warning on Monday about the underestimated risk of a collapse of Atlantic ocean currents, which could have severe consequences for the Nordic countries as their leaders convened in Iceland.
In an open letter to the Nordic Council meeting this week in Reykjavik, the scientists highlighted the significant risk of a major change in Atlantic ocean circulation.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which includes the Gulf Stream, is crucial for transporting heat to northern regions and maintaining conditions in the Arctic. A recent study suggests that this system has already weakened, and its potential collapse is a concerning tipping point for scientists due to the cascading effects it could trigger.
While the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported a “medium confidence” that the AMOC would not collapse abruptly before 2100, the authors of the letter argued that new research indicates the risk may be greater than previously thought, with the possibility of reaching this tipping point in the coming decades.
They cautioned that Nordic countries could face catastrophic impacts, including significant cooling in the region while neighboring areas warm, potentially leading to extreme weather and jeopardizing agriculture in northwestern Europe.
The effects would likely extend globally, causing shifts in tropical rainfall patterns and significant sea-level rises. The Nordic Council comprises Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, whose leaders are meeting in Reykjavik on Monday and Tuesday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also in attendance.
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