Salty water sinking into the deep Atlantic Ocean is carrying atmospheric heat, slowing the effects of global warming. Measurements from sensors show this influx of heat into the Atlantic may account for the recent plateau in rising global temperatures. However, this hiatus will only last 10-15 years before temperatures begin increasing at their previous rate, unless actions are taken to reduce greenhouse gases.

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Has global warming been stalled in 2015?

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Off the east coast of Greenland, salty
water is sinking to the deep carrying
atmospheric heat with it, consequently
slowing global warming.
What’s this about?

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This is strange seeing as the amount of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere is still increasing. Climate
scientists have therefore been searching
for the ‘sink’ that is absorbing all the missing
atmospheric heat.

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Where has the atmospheric heat gone?
• The missing heat could have gone into the deep depths
of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Other scientists previously thought that the heat went
into the Pacific Ocean.
If the heat had escaped into the Pacific Ocean, it would have
been the result of intensifying trade winds related to the El
Niño-La Niña cycle. This would mean the current stalling of
global warming would be over as soon as the next El Niño.
However if the majority is ending up in the Atlantic Ocean, we
have an additional 10-15 years before global warming
progresses at its original rate.

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• The sensors included floats that dive nearly
a mile (1,500 metres) beneath the surface
to measure the temperature and salt
content of the water.
Will it last forever?
• Global warming has not stopped, it is
merely on hiatus. In the next 15 years global
warming will start to increase at its previous
rate, unless we do something about it.
Is the Atlantic responsible?

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Has global warming been stalled in 2015?