First of all, it is worth saying that Gulf Stream influences primarily atmosphere temperatures in Europe. Heinz Wanner says that Gulf Stream transports energy and heat from the southern to the northern hemisphere making temperatures in European countries augment (Tulloch). Subsequently, this means that in case of Gulf Stream stopping European countries will “experience Siberian summers and deep-freeze winters” (What Will Happen When the Gulf Stream Collapses?). North America and Europe are claimed to experience strong winter storms and multi-year droughts (NC State University). Moreover, this will logically lead to impossibility of growing crops and breeding cattle as people will find themselves unadjusted to such life conditions. This will make people starve as food will become scarcer. However, the most daunting impact would be the extinction of a great variety of biological species that would not just be able to survive in new circumstances, which would change biosphere tremendously.
The report by the Pentagon issued in 2003 goes even further saying that defense priorities will shift and that resources for survival rather than religion, ideology, or national honor will become the primary goal (What Will Happen When the Gulf Stream Collapses?).
Ironically, according to observations and computer modeling it is known that the thing which may lead to Gulf Stream stopping and causing lower temperatures is global warming. Really, according to computer models, based on the known tendencies and interrelation between global warming and Gulf Stream it is evaluated that a rise in atmosphere temperature by three degrees creates a 50 percent chance of Gulf Stream stopping at all, with all the above circumstances. Also, continuous melting of ice caps causes dilution of salt water and, therefore, stopping of the currents.
According to some research by Cardiff University there is a theory that when Gulf Stream stops too much heat will be locked up in the southern hemisphere as it will not be transported to the northern hemisphere anymore. As a result, southern hemisphere will suffer from heat whereas northern – from cold (Tulloch).
So, the bottom line is that that in case of Gulf Stream stopping literally each and every part of the world will suffer severely from climate change and resources scarcity.
References
- NC State University. (no date). Death of the Gulf Stream. Retrieved from: http://hatteras.meas.ncsu.edu/secc_edu/GulfStream
- Tulloch, J. (2010, August 10). The Impact of the Gulf Stream on Europe’s Climate. Retrieved from: http://knowledge.allianz.com/environment/climate_change/?620/impact-of-gulf-stream-on-europes-climate
- What Will Happen When the Gulf Stream Collapses? (2010, May 28). Retrieved from: http://www.disclose.tv/forum/what-will-happen-when-the-gulf-stream-collapses-t23077.html
