Susan Lozier: Is climate change slowing down the ocean?

Is climate change slowing down the ocean?

Ocean waters are constantly on the move, traveling far distances in complex currents that regulate Earth's climate and weather patterns. How might climate change impact this critical system? Oceanographer Susan Lozier dives into the data, which suggests that ocean overturning may slow as our climate warms — and takes us on board the international effort to track these changes and set us on the right course while we still have time.

The massive ocean overturning circulation acts like a planetary conveyor belt, moving water and heat around the globe. This system helps keep the equator and poles just 30 degrees Celsius apart—instead of a scorching 110. As climate change warms and freshens the ocean's surface, scientists warn this current could weaken by up to 34 percent this century. Such a shift would disrupt weather patterns, reduce carbon storage, and accelerate ocean acidification.