The looming Atlantic Ocean Crisis
With the recent report on the increased likelihood of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC ) coming to a standstill, you might have expected England and Wales’ only environmental political party to sound the alarm. Yet, there’s been no public response from the Green Party on this pressing issue.
What is AMOC?
To understand why this is concerning, let’s first look at AMOC and its vital role in global climate regulation.
AMOC is a significant ocean current that transports warm, saline water from the Caribbean toward northwest Europe, which helps moderate temperatures in regions like the UK and Scandinavia. In essence, AMOC is a natural heat pump that keeps northern Europe’s climate relatively mild.
The potential consequences of its collapse are dire. In a recent letter presented at the Arctic Circle Conference, 44 scientists warned that AMOC’s failure could bring substantial cooling to Scandinavia, Iceland, the UK, and Ireland. This temperature drop would make agriculture nearly impossible in these regions, impacting food security and livelihoods. The breakdown would also disrupt global heat distribution, intensifying droughts and flooding in the southern hemisphere, and heightening the vulnerability of these regions to extreme climate events.
Until recently, AMOC’s collapse was considered an unlikely risk this century. However, new research from the University of Copenhagen, published in February, shows that AMOC could collapse as early as 2025, with a 95% probability that it will happen by 2095. The study’s central prediction is that collapse may occur around 2057—just over three decades from now. If AMOC reaches this tipping point, it would be irreversible, with profound global repercussions.
Why the Silence?
Despite the urgency, the Green Party of England and Wales has remained notably silent. With the science clear and the risk imminent, one might expect the party and at least one of its 4 new MPs to bring attention to this issue in Parliament or the press. Given their platform, it’s surprising to see no significant statements or initiatives on such a critical environmental concern.
One might speculate that internal party issues are diverting attention away from these urgent matters. The Green Party has recently faced internal challenges over issues related to ideological and policy disputes, including the growing number of legal challenges over gender ideology. Such preoccupations could be hampering their ability to focus on larger environmental crises, leaving AMOC and its potential impact largely unaddressed in the public sphere.
If there’s any time for action, it is now. As AMOC’s potential collapse looms, the Green Party must prioritise this global environmental risk, shifting the focus back to the urgent climate issues that most impact the planet and future generations.