Warning Signs: The Looming Collapse of a Critical Ocean System

[Social Media]

 

The global climate crisis has scientists sounding the alarm about the potential collapse of a vital oceanic system that could wreak havoc across the planet. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), often described as the Earth’s central heating system, is weakening at an alarming rate. If it collapses, the consequences could include severe droughts, rising sea levels, frozen European winters, and a reduction in the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide—a critical function in mitigating climate change.  

 

The AMOC operates as part of the global conveyor belt, a system of deep-ocean currents driven by temperature and salinity. This intricate circulation moves warm water northward and cold water southward, helping to regulate global temperatures and sustain marine ecosystems by transporting nutrients. However, an influx of freshwater from melting glaciers and ice sheets—particularly in Greenland and Canada—is disrupting this delicate balance. Freshwater, being less dense than saltwater, slows the currents, compounding the already fragile state of the AMOC.  

 

Recent research from the University of New South Wales highlights the accelerating impact of climate change on this crucial system. The study reveals that the AMOC is now weaker than at any point in the past thousand years and is projected to become one-third weaker than its strength 70 years ago if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Such a temperature increase could trigger simultaneous climate disasters, from extreme weather to ecological collapse.  

 

The situation grows more dire when factoring in the accelerated melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. The study warns that the AMOC could weaken by an additional 30% by 2040—two decades earlier than previously anticipated. These findings challenge the projections of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which has underestimated the speed of the AMOC’s decline, according to Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf, an expert on the subject who was not involved in the study.  

 

“I’ve compared it to sailing with a ship into uncharted waters,” said Rahmstorf. “You know there are rocks under the surface that you can’t see. It’s dangerous, but you don’t know exactly where they are. That’s the kind of situation we are facing here.” While the collapse of the AMOC would not be immediate, it would unfold over 50 to 100 years once the tipping point is reached. However, this tipping point could arrive within a few decades, a scenario Rahmstorf describes as “entirely plausible.”  

 

The implications of such a collapse are severe, with impacts requiring further study. Yet Rahmstorf emphasized the urgency of prevention over analysis. “It’s more important to try and prevent this from happening than studying in more detail what it would mean. Of course, we can do both at the same time, hopefully,” he said.  

 

Rahmstorf and 43 other international scientists recently issued a stark warning to the Nordic Council of Ministers, calling for immediate action to avoid crossing this catastrophic tipping point. Among the co-signers were UC Riverside’s Dr. Wei Liu and NASA’s Dr. Anastasia Romanou, who highlighted the inadequacies of current climate models.

 

“The IPCC had said, for example, that we don’t expect this to happen before 2100,” Romanou explained. “But what people don’t realize is that the IPCC models don’t simulate ice sheet collapse or extreme events like the ones we’ve witnessed in recent years.” She added that while the precise timing remains uncertain, the collapse of the AMOC could happen within decades and would be nothing short of catastrophic. “Whether it happens in 20, 30, or 50 years, we have to take measures now to avoid these effects.”  

 

The path forward is clear to many scientists: reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically to limit further warming. The world must act swiftly to preserve this critical ocean system and stave off the devastating impacts of its collapse.

 

Based on a report by The Independent 2024-12-02

 

 

 

[Real Name Hidden]

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 minutes ago, Social Media said:

The path forward is clear to many scientists: reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically to limit further warming. The world must act swiftly to preserve this critical ocean system and stave off the devastating impacts of its collapse.

Can't beat nature. Humanity has behaved very badly towards the host planet and Gaia is going to punish us for it.

 

The world must act swiftly

LOL. IMO never going to happen, and in any event IMO nobody has any real solutions to prevent an entirely natural event occurring. I'm sure a few more taxes will be levied, a few more trees will be grown, a few EVs will be sold and a few windmills will be erected, and a whole lot of profit will be in the usual suspects wallets,but the result will be no more than what Canute achieved. IMO the green parties of the world should proclaim Canute their patron saint.

 

I've been waiting a long time for someone on here to come up with actual policies that are affordable, acceptable and effective, but I suspect I'll still be waiting in year's time.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 minutes ago, Real Name Hidden said:

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

You do know that Trump was POTUS before and none of your chain rattling happened, don't you? It was pretty good as we didn't have any American wars starting for 4 years.

 

BTW, what has Trump to do with this topic? Are you compelled to put silly anti Trump posts in every thread?

Edited 8 hours ago by thaibeachlovers

[Tailwagsdog]

Ha ha ha everybody berates Trump meanwhile many cities like Dehli, Bangkok suffocate on their own fumes & pollution, furthermore the increase in earths carbon follows an almost identical upward trajectory to the industrialization of Communist China for the last 30 years. So stop bleating like dumb sheep browsing on media headlines and deal with reality while you breathe the Bangkok air. 

[Cryingdick]

Just when I was about to stop cutting myself because of depression i get this news. 

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

The global climate crisis has scientists sounding the alarm about the potential collapse of a vital oceanic system that could wreak havoc across the planet. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), often described as the Earth’s central heating system, is weakening at an alarming rate. If it collapses, the consequences could include severe droughts, rising sea levels, frozen European winters, and a reduction in the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide—a critical function in mitigating climate change.  

 

The AMOC operates as part of the global conveyor belt, a system of deep-ocean currents driven by temperature and salinity. This intricate circulation moves warm water northward and cold water southward, helping to regulate global temperatures and sustain marine ecosystems by transporting nutrients. However, an influx of freshwater from melting glaciers and ice sheets—particularly in Greenland and Canada—is disrupting this delicate balance. Freshwater, being less dense than saltwater, slows the currents, compounding the already fragile state of the AMOC.  

 

Recent research from the University of New South Wales highlights the accelerating impact of climate change on this crucial system. The study reveals that the AMOC is now weaker than at any point in the past thousand years and is projected to become one-third weaker than its strength 70 years ago if global temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Such a temperature increase could trigger simultaneous climate disasters, from extreme weather to ecological collapse.  

 

 

The situation grows more dire when factoring in the accelerated melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. The study warns that the AMOC could weaken by an additional 30% by 2040—two decades earlier than previously anticipated. These findings challenge the projections of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which has underestimated the speed of the AMOC’s decline, according to Dr. Stefan Rahmstorf, an expert on the subject who was not involved in the study.  

 

“I’ve compared it to sailing with a ship into uncharted waters,” said Rahmstorf. “You know there are rocks under the surface that you can’t see. It’s dangerous, but you don’t know exactly where they are. That’s the kind of situation we are facing here.” While the collapse of the AMOC would not be immediate, it would unfold over 50 to 100 years once the tipping point is reached. However, this tipping point could arrive within a few decades, a scenario Rahmstorf describes as “entirely plausible.”  

 

The implications of such a collapse are severe, with impacts requiring further study. Yet Rahmstorf emphasized the urgency of prevention over analysis. “It’s more important to try and prevent this from happening than studying in more detail what it would mean. Of course, we can do both at the same time, hopefully,” he said.  

 

Rahmstorf and 43 other international scientists recently issued a stark warning to the Nordic Council of Ministers, calling for immediate action to avoid crossing this catastrophic tipping point. Among the co-signers were UC Riverside’s Dr. Wei Liu and NASA’s Dr. Anastasia Romanou, who highlighted the inadequacies of current climate models.

 

“The IPCC had said, for example, that we don’t expect this to happen before 2100,” Romanou explained. “But what people don’t realize is that the IPCC models don’t simulate ice sheet collapse or extreme events like the ones we’ve witnessed in recent years.” She added that while the precise timing remains uncertain, the collapse of the AMOC could happen within decades and would be nothing short of catastrophic. “Whether it happens in 20, 30, or 50 years, we have to take measures now to avoid these effects.”  

 

The path forward is clear to many scientists: reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically to limit further warming. The world must act swiftly to preserve this critical ocean system and stave off the devastating impacts of its collapse.

 

Based on a report by The Independent 2024-12-02

 

 

 

There are still too many people denying any climate change (some are even in US govt)

[RichardColeman]

Easy fix 200% tariff on everything from india, China and other mass polluting countries. Turn it off at source, little point in us doing anything with them running riot

[nobodysfriend]

Everything is connected ... a natural balance was created that enabled life to evolve and develop .

That natural balance was disturbed and , partially , destroyed by actions of this planets dominant species .

The price to pay for that will end further potential evolution of mankind .

Nobody realized in time that all actions provoke a reaction of some kind in a , once , balanced world .

Out of balance , extremes will take over , an now unstoppable , ( it will take hundreds or thousands of years to re-establish ) , chain reaction takes place and mankind will be taught the lesson that it is not good to disturb the natural balance that enabled our species to evolve , to become what we are now .

Self inflicted suffering and final disappearance are the consequences for a species that designed it's world on political and economical systems that are based on greed and ignorance .

 

[Yagoda]

Is this related to the Ice Age they were predicting 40 years ago?

 

I thought we hit the tipping point already and were all doomed.

 

 

[Gsxrnz]

I had a strange dream a while ago. I woke up believing that this big bright yellow thing shining in the sky might have a lot to do with our weather and climate. 

 

But apparently I was wrong. It turns out that a natural gas that makes plants grow and constitutes about 0.04% of the earth's atmosphere is the real climate controller.  

 

If you want to see a dazed look on the face of a climate activist's face and melt their tiny brains, tell them about solar maximum and minimum, solar cycle sun spot variations, solar winds, Milankovitch's orbital wobble and orbital eccentricity, the Maunder minimum, the medieval warm period, and the truth behind the myth that 97% of scientists agree.

 

 

[parallelman]

Whatever is told to the nations about stop this practice, stop doing that etc. etc. just isn't going to work. There are nations that will continue along their present course and IMO it is already too late, we've reached a point of no return. However, just how much will 'mother Earth' adjust as the weather/climate patterns change might not be as much as some predict or as some think, it will be worse than current predictions. It will probably be the next generation or two that will either have to adjust or ....In other words, I don't think there is a solution that would be acceptable or affordable. I wonder what would happen to the climate if all flights were grounded, no car usage and no grid to supply electric, for one week?

[mdr224]

5 hours ago, Real Name Hidden said:

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

All countries except the US are in danger of collapse

[CallumWK]

6 hours ago, Real Name Hidden said:

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

 

Glad you finally admit it has nothing to do with Trump, or any other government for that matter, but that it is an irreversible event.

[LosLobo]

51 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

I had a strange dream a while ago. I woke up believing that this big bright yellow thing shining in the sky might have a lot to do with our weather and climate. 

 

But apparently I was wrong. It turns out that a natural gas that makes plants grow and constitutes about 0.04% of the earth's atmosphere is the real climate controller.  

 

If you want to see a dazed look on the face of a climate activist's face and melt their tiny brains, tell them about solar maximum and minimum, solar cycle sun spot variations, solar winds, Milankovitch's orbital wobble and orbital eccentricity, the Maunder minimum, the medieval warm period, and the truth behind the myth that 97% of scientists agree.

Your post is drowning in logical fallacies and ignores the facts:

1. Strawman: No scientist denies the Sun affects climate. Fact: Solar output has been steady or declining while Earth warms—this isn’t solar-driven.
2. Appeal to Ridicule: Mocking “tiny brains” doesn’t substitute for evidence. Science requires data, not cheap shots.
3. Red Herring: Solar cycles, Milankovitch wobbles, and Maunder minimums act over centuries or millennia. Fact: These don’t explain today’s rapid, human-driven warming.
4. Appeal to Incredulity: CO2’s tiny concentration is irrelevant. Fact: Small amounts of potent gases (like ozone or methane) can transform the atmosphere.
5. False Equivalence: The Medieval Warm Period was regional, not global. Fact: Today’s warming is faster, global, and driven by fossil fuels.
6. Gish Gallop: Throwing out terms like “solar winds” confuses the issue. Fact: Peer-reviewed science proves human emissions are the primary driver.
7. Conspiracy Thinking: The 97% consensus is real, based on studies of thousands of climate papers. Fact: Denying it doesn’t make it disappear.
8. False Dichotomy: It’s not “Sun or CO2.” Fact: Modern warming is caused by CO2 emissions dominating natural factors.

Buzzwords and snark don’t refute decades of research. Start with the facts if you want to debate.

Sources:

• NASA Earth Science
• National Geographic's Climate Change Section
• Global Warming
• NASA Climate Change - Vital Signs of the Planet

Edited 2 hours ago by LosLobo

[KhunLA]

6 hours ago, Real Name Hidden said:

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

FFS ... After millions of years, now the weather is Trump's fault 

[john donson]

global winter, but still 20-25 degrees in thailand, now that would be great

[KhunLA]

Agree things may be changing, but not because of melting fresh water into the seas.  That's silly IMHO

 

More likely the shift of the earth's magnetic field, and things will be getting chilly.   But that kills the silly MMGW BS the MSM has been spreading and profiting from .. shh

[HK MacPhooey]

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

There are still too many people denying any climate change (some are even in US govt)

There are still too many people accepting all these pseudo scientific reports on impending climate catastrophe when the reality is that we do not have sufficient computing capacity to model more than a fraction of the earth’s atmospheric, oceanic and geographic variables and how they  relate to climatic conditions - we cannot even predict regional weather conditions with any degree of certainty.

 

Sure we have hundreds of thousands of scientists working the issues and finding just the right results to justify the scaremongering that their paymasters (whoever they are) wish to put on us gullible sheeple.

 

David Bowie told us we only had ‘Five years’ back in 1973 and here we are fifty years later - if we couldn’t trust Bowie then, why should we trust the scientists today🤨

[HK MacPhooey]

6 hours ago, Real Name Hidden said:

The last thing the world needs is Trump.  The people claiming Trump was 'protected by God' will be singing a different tune when the wrath of God blows their roof off.

The first idiot comment on this thread

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, HK MacPhooey said:

There are still too many people accepting all these pseudo scientific reports on impending climate catastrophe when the reality is that we do not have sufficient computing capacity to model more than a fraction of the earth’s atmospheric, oceanic and geographic variables and how they  relate to climatic conditions - we cannot even predict regional weather conditions with any degree of certainty.

 

Sure we have hundreds of thousands of scientists working the issues and finding just the right results to justify the scaremongering that their paymasters (whoever they are) wish to put on us gullible sheeple.

 

David Bowie told us we only had ‘Five years’ back in 1973 and here we are fifty years later - if we couldn’t trust Bowie then, why should we trust the scientists today🤨

Oh dear, I suppose you get a happy life. I'm sure you know what your head is made for? Wearing an Alu-hat.

[Celsius]

can't bother to read the article because I don't care I'll be dead

[frank83628]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You do know that Trump was POTUS before and none of your chain rattling happened, don't you? It was pretty good as we didn't have any American wars starting for 4 years.

 

BTW, what has Trump to do with this topic? Are you compelled to put silly anti Trump posts in every thread?

Its the acronym syndrome...

[Jim Blue]

Since its taken over eight hundred words to explain this ,it  obviously is a flawed concept .

But given that there might be a problem a simple and cost effective  solution would be to promote birth control on a massive scale. Never going to happen.Block your wallet ....they just  want your dollars .

[Yagoda]

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

I had a strange dream a while ago. I woke up believing that this big bright yellow thing shining in the sky might have a lot to do with our weather and climate. 

 

But apparently I was wrong. It turns out that a natural gas that makes plants grow and constitutes about 0.04% of the earth's atmosphere is the real climate controller.  

 

If you want to see a dazed look on the face of a climate activist's face and melt their tiny brains, tell them about solar maximum and minimum, solar cycle sun spot variations, solar winds, Milankovitch's orbital wobble and orbital eccentricity, the Maunder minimum, the medieval warm period, and the truth behind the myth that 97% of scientists agree.

 

 

Apparently, you know some science. How come when folks tell me the world is warming, they can never tell me how much warmer it is then on the equivalent to Dec 1, 1000000000 BC?

[KhunLA]

37 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

FFS ... After millions of years, now the weather is Trump's fault 

@Real Name Hidden wouldn't it be more Biden's fault, being a 50+ yr career politician vs Trump's mere 4 yrs serving 

 

Along with all those other career politicians or 2 term serving presidents ... instead of Trump, the Anti Christ 

[frank83628]

Why not just turn all thuse huge wind fan onto #3, that should cool things down.

[Grusa]

Gaia has a limited array of tools to protect herself from threats.

Plague

Pestilence

Natural disaster

War

Climate

Religious fervour

 

Be assured she can, does, and will, deploy these to protect her continuing existence.

Be assured that she will succeed... with or without the continued existence of humanity.

Our entire existence is but a blink of an eye to her.........

[G_Money]

I thought the UK was going to be submerged by now .

 

We really could use more expertise from @Danderman123.

 

Our former global warming. climate change, ozone layer and polar caps expert.