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Southern Ocean's Colossal 'Burp' Threatens Decades of Climate Progress
27 Oct
Summary
- Southern Ocean absorbing CO2 for 200 years, acting as climate change buffer
- Buildup of warm water could trigger 'abrupt discharge of heat' in 600 years
- 'Burp' could reverse global cooling, causing temperature rise and sea level increase
According to a recent study, the Southern Ocean around Antarctica has been acting as a major buffer against global warming for around 200 years by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide. However, the ocean is now building up a colossal 'burp' of warm water that could trigger an abrupt increase in global temperatures in the coming centuries.
Researchers predict that over the next 600 years, the Earth will begin to cool down due to a reduction in emissions and less reliance on fossil fuels. But the oceans can hold heat for a long time, leading to an enormous global energy imbalance. This heat must eventually be re-released into the atmosphere, committing the Earth to additional warming even once greenhouse gas emissions stop.
The team warns that the release of this built-up heat could cause temperatures to increase, ice sheets to melt, and sea levels to rise, effectively reversing decades of climate change progress. The impact could be comparable to global warming caused by human activities. The warming would be greatest and longest-lasting in the Southern Hemisphere, suggesting a greater impact on today's more vulnerable countries of the global south.
