by Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News
Highlights:
Wind-driven ocean currents are moving towards the poles, causing impacts such as sea-level rise and storms.
- The shift in poles will affect sea-level rise on the East Coast of the US and disrupt salmon fishing waters on the West Coast
- Gyres, which are large systems of ocean currents, are also changing along with the smaller currents and will impact ocean life and coastal cities
- Changes in gyres will cause intense heatwaves in the subtropics and impact fishing in the Pacific Ocean
- The changes in ocean currents are part of natural fluctuations but some can be attributed to climate change
- As long as global temperatures increase, the movement of the currents are not likely to stop
With 9 of 15 global tipping points now active, what we do today can either unleash an inhospitable hothouse Earth or secure a safe climate well into the future. As the science and climate reality demand, our only hope for a vibrant, healthy, and equitable future for all is to enact bold climate policies now, not decades from now.
Nina Turner
Energy Programs and Communications CoordinatorJanina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University with experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism.
