🇮🇸 Scientists call for a greater urgency and priority in the global effort to reduce emissions
Reykjavik, 19 October – Continued greenhouse gas emissions increase global warming, but could trigger a regional cooling around the North Atlantic.
Satellite data and oceanographic measurements already show a long-term cooling trend in the subpolar Atlantic. This phenomenon has long been predicted by climate models and results from a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which transports huge amounts of heat into the North Atlantic Region and thus determines life conditions for all people in Europe, the Arctic region and beyond.
A string of scientific climate studies in the past few years suggests that the risk of passing the tipping point for a major ocean circulation change in the Atlantic has so far been underestimated.
In an open letter released today at the Arctic Circle conference in ReykjavÃk, Iceland, 44 leading experts on ocean circulation and tipping points from 15 countries appeal to the Nordic Council of Ministers to take this risk seriously, initiate a risk assessment and take steps to minimize this risk as much as possible.
The only way to limit the risk of passing those tipping points, is through greater urgency and priority in the global effort to reduce emissions. In the letter, the scientists call for an urgent and increased effort to limit global warming and reduce emissions as quickly as possible in order to stay close to the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement.
Originally published on 19 October by Icelandic Met Officer.
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