Episode 405
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a major system of ocean currents that plays a vital role in Earth’s climate. If it collapses, the consequences could be catastrophic. We could see ice-age level winters in Europe, coupled with scalding hot summers - and impacts on food production around the world. The trouble is it’s already weakening.
That’s why scientists are building an early warning system that'll warn us of imminent AMOC collapse. But will a warning come soon enough for us to act - and will anyone actually listen?
The team explains how the warning system would work, what happens if the AMOC does collapse and how soon it could happen. Plus they look at new research which suggests the AMOC may not be a classic tipping point - because we may be able to resuscitate it even if it stops.
To discuss this, Penny Sarchet and Rowan Hooper are joined by climate reporters Alec Luhn and Madeleine Cuff.
To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/
Image Credit:
Tipping Points: CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148459736
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