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The Gulf Stream is on the verge of COLLAPSING, leading climate change scientists warn

The Gulf Stream is on the verge of COLLAPSING, leading climate change scientists warn

Published on October 24, 2024
Aerial view of ocean waves creating a series of crescent patterns with visible foam against the deep blue water.

This article was authored by a 3rd party not related to PlanetVoters.com and any opinions or views expressed are not a reflection of PlanetVoters.com.

By Wiliam Hunter

October 23, 2024

The network of ocean currents which keep the Earth’s climate stable could be about to collapse, scientists have warned.

In an open letter, 44 of the world’s leading climate scientists say that key Atlantic Ocean currents – including the Gulf Stream – are on the brink of failure.

The scientists caution that the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could lead to ‘devastating and irreversible impacts’ which will affect ‘the entire world for centuries to come’.

The resulting climate fallout could plunge the UK into a ‘new Ice Age’, with winter temperatures plummetting up to 15°C (27°F) below the current average. 

While the collapse of the Gulf Stream would be disastrous for Britain, that vital current is just one small part of AMOC’s massive global system.

This giant ocean conveyor belt is critical for moving heat around the planet, but research suggests that it has been slowing down and could soon reach a tipping point.

Without urgent action, the scientists warn that AMOC could fail completely within the next few decades.

As warm water travels northwards from the tropics, it hits the sea ice around Greenland and the Nordic countries, cooling and becoming much saltier.

As the water cools it becomes denser, sinking rapidly towards the bottom of the ocean where it flows back southwards before once again warming and rising to the surface.

This process of ‘deep water formation’ is the engine for a vast global conveyor belt which pumps heat and water all around the Atlantic Ocean. 

However, studies suggest that AMOC’s deep water engine has started to slow and is now showing worrying signs of breaking down altogether.

As global temperatures rise, melting ice pours fresh water back into oceans, diluting the denser salty water and preventing it from sinking.

If this process were to break down entirely, it would have catastrophic knock-on effects including the weakening of the Gulf Stream and the disruption of global weather patterns.

To read the full article, click here:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13991003/amp/Gulf-Stream-COLLAPSE-soon-scientists.html?ito=smartnews

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