Shout out to the gulf stream for keeping Ireland's climate significantly more temperate than our Canadian latitude neighbours. As kids when we looked out to sea on the west coast we thought next stop was New York, but it's more like Newfoundland. If (when?) the gulf stream gets significantly disrupted it's gonna be a major shock
Interesting. Is there other research on this? How well tested is the mode?
It is something i have wondered about because proximity to the heat in the sea is clearly an important factor too, so i am interested. Surely the Gulf Stream must have some impact?
The article doesn’t say that the ocean is irrelevant just that it’s not the oceanic currents that dominate. The main thing is just having an ocean at all coupled with prevailing winds being west to east. Hence Seattle, which is mild but does not benefit from Gulf Stream like currents
Yes, I get that. To clarify I meant proximity to heat in the sea "stored" from warmer times of the year without the effect of the Gulf Stream is clearly an important factor.
Ireland's climate policies, whether adequate or inadequate, can have very little affect on the evolution of the AMOC, or any other large-scale climactic phenomenon. There are vastly more influential factors at play all around the world.
Inasmuch as it’s a country of five million people you are right in absolute terms, but considering the government’s shocked Pikachu face reaction to being held to the terms of an agreement Ireland signed up to it’s still a bit galling.
One of the best things Ireland could do is build lots of housing close to job centres so people don’t have to drive so far to work, or ideally can take public transport (or bike or walk)
It’s remarkable seeing people commute to Dublin from tullamore or even athlone.
Relying less on concrete would help too, wood construction seems to be getting more common at least.
"As far as current models suggest, we conclude that the risk of a northern AMOC shutdown is greater than previously thought,” Drijfhout and his colleagues wrote.
