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Environment
Laurie Menviel, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney

Meltwater from Greenland and the Arctic is weakening ocean circulation, speeding up warming down south

Mozgova, Shutterstock

A vast network of ocean currents nicknamed the “great global ocean conveyor belt” is slowing down. That’s a problem because this vital system redistributes heat around the world, influencing both temperatures and rainfall.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation funnels heat northwards through the Atlantic Ocean and is crucial for controlling climate and marine ecosystems. It’s weaker now than at any other time in the past 1,000 years, and global warming could be to blame. But climate models have struggled to replicate the changes observed to date – until now.

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