Atlantic ocean current weakening faster than previously thought

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the system of ocean currents that moves warm water through the Atlantic, is weakening at a faster and greater rate than previously documented, according to new French research reported by The Guardian and covered by Faroese broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya.

A study published this week indicates the current may decline by between 42% and 58% within this century—a sharper drop than earlier projections. Scientists attribute the weakening to accelerated Arctic warming driven by global temperature rise, warning that the consequences could be severe for Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

“If the research holds, we will see significantly colder conditions where we are,” said Karin Margretha Húsgarð Larsen, an oceanographer and department head at the Faroese Marine Research Institute (Havstovan). However, she noted that while the findings demand attention, there are currently no local signs at the Faroe Islands that the current is weakening at the reported pace.

The study underscores growing concerns over climate-driven disruptions to critical ocean systems, though their precise regional impacts remain difficult to forecast.