Ocean circulation update highlights growing climate concern

A new update from the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) has revealed more information about the current state of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). 

‘Climate Change Impacts on Ocean Circulation Relevant to the UK and Ireland’ contains further discussion around the weakening of the AMOC, examines its potential instability and discusses the consequence of AMOC change for the UK and Ireland. This could include decreases in average rainfall, increased strength and number number of storms and, potentially, an increased threat of coastal flooding. 

The National Oceanography Centre’s Dr Ben Moat, who heads the open ocean physics team, and research scientist Dr Tillys Petit co-authored the update, which was led by Dr Gerard McCarthy from the Irish Climate Research and Analysis UnitS (ICARUS) in the Department of Geography at Maynooth University, Ireland. 

The update also evaluates other changes including sea shelf ocean currents, and also recommends how to address issues to improve ocean observations and simulations of the shelf region. 

To find out more, and to access a downloadable copy of the full report, visit the MCCIP website: https://www.mccip.org.uk/ocean-circulation