The Ocean's Conveyor Belt — Global Circulation
Quick Fact
The ocean conveyor belt moves water around the entire planet in a cycle that takes approximately 1,000 years — and it keeps Western Europe up to 10°C warmer than it would otherwise be.
About This Species
The thermohaline circulation — often called the ocean conveyor belt — is a global system of ocean currents driven by differences in water temperature and salinity. It moves vast quantities of heat, nutrients, and carbon around the planet, regulating climate, supporting fisheries, and distributing oxygen to the deep ocean. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the North Atlantic component of this system, keeps Western Europe significantly warmer than it would otherwise be. Climate scientists warn that melting Arctic ice is disrupting this system, with potentially catastrophic consequences for global climate patterns.
Why It Matters
Disruption of the ocean conveyor belt by climate change could trigger rapid and dramatic shifts in global climate patterns — including cooling of Western Europe, disruption of monsoon systems, and collapse of fisheries that depend on nutrient upwelling.