Atlantic Ocean Current System Faces Unprecedented Slowdown, Threatening Global Climate Stability

Key Points

• AMOC projected to slow 43-58% by 2100, 60% stronger than average climate model estimates
• System could be much closer to collapse than previously thought, risking regional climate catastrophe
• Research based on data collected since 2004 from North Atlantic moorings

Full Details

Two new studies published in Science Advances reveal the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), often called the ocean's 'conveyor belt,' is weakening faster than previously thought. Researchers project a 43% to 58% slowdown by the end of the century, which is up to 60% stronger than the average estimate from climate models. Climate researcher Valentin Portmann discussed these findings in a CNN interview, noting the system could be much closer to failure than anticipated. The AMOC's collapse would trigger catastrophic regional climate shifts, including severe weather changes and sea-level rise. The research analyzed data collected since 2004 from moorings along the western boundary of the North Atlantic, examining water temperature, salinity, and current velocity.