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Modern models show that the accelerated melting of Greenland ice increases freshwater runoff, weakening the salinity and density of the surface layer. As a result, the strength of the Atlantic meridional circulation is decreasing. Satellite data confirm a 15% decline since the mid-20th century.
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The consequences could be dramatic: colder winters in Northern Europe amid general global warming, changing monsoon patterns in West Africa, and rising sea levels on the east coast of the United States. Scientists warn that a “point of no return” could occur with a global temperature rise of just 1.5 to 2 °C, highlighting the need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
