AMOC collapse could turn Southern Ocean into carbon source, adding 0.2°C to global warming

A shutdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could trigger a substantial release of stored ocean carbon into the atmosphere over hundreds of years, according to a new study that simulated such a collapse under stable climate conditions. This would add 0.2°C of extra global warming. The new paper from researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), published in Communications Earth & Environment, highlights the AMOC's role as a key regulator of the global climate.