AMOC is responsible for transporting warm waters from the tropics to the North Atlantic and ensures milder winters in Europe. Scientists warn that accelerated melting of glaciers in Greenland could lead to the weakening or complete shutdown of this current due to an excess of freshwater, disrupting ocean circulation. In the past, a similar collapse has occurred, causing a sharp cooling in the Northern Hemisphere before the last Ice Age.
Jóhannsson emphasized that raising this issue to the level of the National Security Council will ensure coordination among all ministries and develop comprehensive measures. The government is conducting a risk analysis for sectors such as energy, food, infrastructure, and maritime transport, and is also developing a strategy for responding to climate crises.
Experts highlight that the consequences of a potential AMOC collapse could affect not only Europe: it would lead to changes in precipitation patterns in Africa, India, and South America, as well as accelerate warming in Antarctica. Researchers warn that the current could reach a "tipping point" in the coming decades.
According to the minister, Iceland does not intend to wait for definitive scientific conclusions. "Changes in sea ice could affect maritime transport; extreme weather conditions could severely disrupt agriculture and fishing - key sectors of our economy," he added.
Scientists are already recording the effects of climate change in Iceland. In October, the island recorded the appearance of blood-sucking mosquitoes of the species Culiseta annulata for the first time, which can survive at low temperatures. Experts warn that the rise in average annual temperatures is contributing to the emergence of new species of insects and plants that have not previously been found in the Arctic, including the spread of forest vegetation into the tundra.
