The dangers of a collapse of the main Atlantic Ocean circulation, known as Amoc, have been “greatly underestimated” and would have devastating and irreversible impacts, according to an open letter released at the weekend by 44 experts from 15 countries. One of the signatories, Stefan Rahmstorf, an oceanographer and climatologist who heads the Earth system analysis department at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, explains here why he has recently upgraded his risk assessment of an Amoc breakdown as a result of global heating – and what that means for Britain, Europe and the wider world.

  • @psycho_driver
    link
    English
    1524 days ago

    NGL it’s kind of refreshing when a scientist says “We don’t know.”

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      2124 days ago

      Most scientists are working with the hope of making a dent in what we don’t know. There’s no shortage of “we don’t know.”

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        7
        edit-2
        24 days ago

        Most likely all scientists will admit that there is a lot more we don’t know than what we do know.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          424 days ago

          Hell, even when they finish a study, they’re liable to still say they don’t know. They’re just saying what happened in their study and how it could mean this happens on a larger scale.

    • @tee9000
      link
      English
      7
      edit-2
      24 days ago

      When a journalist actually reports when a scientist says “We don’t know”.