The Gulf Stream could collapse as early as 2025, scientists have warned.
Researchers have long been concerned about the Gulf Stream weakening, but now fear it could collapse even sooner than expected.
Also called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the Gulf Stream is a system of currents in which warm water is carried up to towards the Pole. There it cools and sinks down into the ocean depths.
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The constant flow of warm water northwards is crucial for the warmer climates found in Northern Europe compared to other places on similar longitudes.
So if the system were to collapse, it would be likely to see big temperature changes in large areas of the northern hemisphere.
Past studies have warned that the system that powers the Gulf Stream is already slowing down.
One published last year claimed that it could collapse anytime between 2025 and 2095 if global carbon emissions are not reduced.
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Though some scientists were critical of this study, saying uncertainties in the underlying data were too large for a reliable estimate of the collapse.
A new study, by the University of Utrecht and published in the journal Science Advances, found there were 'early warning signals showing the AMOC is tipping course'.
Study author René van Westen, of Utrecht University, warned: “What surprised us was the rate at which tipping occurs.
“It will be devastating.”
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What exactly could this devastation look like?
Well, one big factor would be a fall in temperature in Northern Europe.
The Gulf Stream is largely responsible for the warmer weather in parts of Europe such as the UK and Scandinavia.
When you think that the UK is on a similar longitude to Canada and then the difference in climate, that could give you a clue.
In other words - better start learning to ski.
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There would also be likely to be an impact on sea levels, with some parts of the Atlantic potentially rising as much as a meter. This could have a huge impact on coastal cities and low-lying areas.
It could even have an impact on the Amazon rainforest, with the wet and dry seasons potentially swapping, wreaking havoc on the area.
While it's not clear exactly when this is likely to happen, van Westen has made it clear that this is very much the direction of travel.
He said: “We are moving towards it. That is kind of scary.
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“We need to take climate change much more seriously.”
Topics: News, World News, Climate Change, Science