by frog
Climate change is very complex, and involves putting together “a whole bunch of pieces” of a puzzle. Some British academics have just come up with another piece. Reports the Press:
Powerful ocean currents are grinding slowly to a halt, raising the possibility of a catastrophic climate “flip” that could chill Europe and warm New Zealand…
Scientists have detected evidence of a slowdown in ocean currents that control climate across the globe… Without these currents, parts of the globe are expected to alter dramatically. The climate in Europe would cool significantly, while New Zealand would be warmer and more susceptible to exotic diseases, scientists suggest.
The powerful ocean current system, often known as the ocean conveyor, creates a flow of warm surface water towards the North Atlantic, where it is cooled and sinks to form the circulation of cool deep-sea water throughout the world’s oceans.
As part of this process, large “chimneys” of very cold water spiral to the ocean floor, playing a key role in ocean flows. However, Cambridge University ocean physicist and Polar Ocean Physics Group head Professor Peter Wadhams has released research showing the number of these chimneys has reduced from about 12 to two as a result of global warming… Prof Wadhams said the disappearance of the chimneys, reducing the circulation of the oceans, would have the effect of cooling the climate of Northern Europe as less warm water flowed to the region.
So, while disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow was breathtaking in its exaggeration of how quickly and suddenly ocean current change will affect our climate, a more mundane but nevertheless concerning parallel reality is emerging. As the evidence keeps coming in about human-made climate change, it’s hard to understand why some politicians stay dogged in their denial of it. Perhaps it’s just a case of it’s easier to keep one’s head in the sand than contemplate trying to change society for the better…
Published in Environment & Resource Management by frog on Wed, June 1st, 2005
Tags: environment
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
These scientific reports are very disturbing. I read this one on the internet early this morning, and I still recall graphic images of the Greenland ice melt shown on TV One a few weeks ago. I try to chat about the subject and many folk reply with “It won’t happen in my lifetime” or “I like warm weather”. Such ignorant denials really do frighten me. OK, so it may have gone too far to put into reverse, but it may come down to preparedness for survival. Joy.
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Atlantic conveyer failure has been discussed openly for some years, a google search says the BBC Horizon program covered the topic in November 2003. but there must have been one prior to that, as I was in NZ in 2003, and I definitely saw a Horizon on Atlantic Conveyer failure.
It is Matt Saviner who said “Unfortunately, it now appears we will have to deal with the implications of Peak Oil at the same time we finally have to pay the piper in regards to global climate change”
If/when the Atlantic conveyer fails, then many European countries are going to be much colder, and this will dramatically and repidly increase their energy needs for heating, which will shift the global balance of the supply and demand of energy. This cant be good politically…
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