René van Westen

“If you're driving toward a wall, it makes sense to steer around it. To do that, you need to brake, otherwise you fly off the road. When it comes to global warming, the world is still pressing extra hard on the accelerator right now.”

René van Westen · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-13

Van Westen uses a driving analogy to describe the world's current trajectory on global warming.

“Our results show there is not necessarily a fixed temperature beyond which the AMOC inevitably collapses,”

René van Westen · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-13

The study from Utrecht University shows that the pace of warming, not just the absolute temperature, determines whether the AMOC stays stable.

“A tipping point that induces an AMOC collapse could already be triggered during such a temporary overshoot. Once that happens, it can't simply be undone. It's comparable to coral reefs: Once they die off due to ocean warming, they don't come back, even if the temperature drops again later.”

René van Westen · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-13

The researchers warn that overshoot pathways risk triggering an irreversible AMOC collapse even during temporary warming overshoots.

“The stability of the circulation depends on how fast the climate is changing.”

René van Westen · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-13

The study from Utrecht University shows that the pace of warming, not just the absolute temperature, determines whether the AMOC stays stable.