If people think that climate change is a slow and leisurely and linear process -- sometimes it's not. If the major ocean circulation patterns of the world's oceans change, climate change can be fast and brutal.
And yes, it could happen soon, even in my lifetime. Which, if that was the timetable, would be bad.
Ocean system that moves heat gets closer to collapse, which could cause weather chaos, study says
"A collapse of the current—called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC—would change weather worldwide because it means a shutdown of one of key the climate and ocean forces of the planet. It would plunge northwestern European temperatures by 9 to 27 degrees (5 to 15 degrees Celsius) over the decades, extend Arctic ice much farther south, turn up the heat even more in the Southern Hemisphere, change global rainfall patterns and disrupt the Amazon, the study said. Other scientists said it would be a catastrophe that could cause worldwide food and water shortages."
Not fun. Somebody better start building Snowpiercer. (Speaking of which, the final season of the show will finally be released -- next year.)
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