Great Pacific Garbage Vortex Intensifying Global Heating

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Twice the size of Texas, this toxic human-made aberration is worse than previously thought

Map of gyres centered near the South Pole (click to enlarge)

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or Pacific Trash Vortex) is a 620,000 sq mi, partially submerged mass of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean, bounded by the massive North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

Micro plastics damage plankton and marine ecosystems 

Healthy oceans help cool the planet by absorbing carbon dioxide. Tiny organisms like phytoplankton remove CO₂ through photosynthesis.

Plastic pollution can:

  • injure marine life
  • transport toxins
  • disrupt food webs
  • reduce plankton health and productivity

As ocean ecosystems become less effective at storing carbon, more CO₂ stays in the atmosphere, increasing warming.

Pacific trash vortex bird stomach

 

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*  Black Carbon: Or “soot,” is a type of fine particulate air pollution formed by incomplete combustion, for example of wood, waste and fossil fuels. It creates carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds, warming the atmosphere because it is very effective at absorbing light. It exacerbates warming of the air and surfaces in regions where it is concentrated, altering weather patterns and ecosystem cycles.

 

TV cameras can’t see it, so it doesn’t make the news

A new study shows that the massive gyres of plastic waste floating in the Pacific (as in twice the size of Texas) are also contributing to planetary heating. The two floating continents of toxic marine debris are alarming enough in terms of the ecological havoc they wreak. The new research from  Fudan University in Shanghai shows that colored microplastics suspended in the atmosphere over the gyres may contribute more to global warming than previously understood, with some regions near ocean garbage patches showing warming effects greater than black carbon. 

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch contributes to planetary warming in direct and indirect but ways. It’s not a giant “hot spot” that radiates heat like a power plant, but the plastic pollution inside it affects the climate system by generating greenhouse gases. The amount of  ongoing marine ecosystem damage is incalculable.

Sunlight makes plastics release greenhouse gases

As plastics float in the ocean and break down under UV sunlight, they outgas methane (CH4), ethylene and other hydrocarbon gases.

These gases trap heat in the atmosphere. Researchers have shown common plastics like polyethylene emit more gases as they weather in sunlight. The degree of warming from these sites is not as significant as industrial and agricultural sources, but represent yet another contribution factor.

Dark debris changes ocean heating

Large concentrations of floating trash alters how sunlight interacts with the ocean surface, as darker or debris-covered surfaces may absorb more solar energy. The report suggests it may be more damaging than *black carbon events. 

Micro plastics are part of the ever growing pollution affecting every phase of our existence

Most of the debris in the patch is plastic derived from oil and natural gas. which releases large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. It’s all part of the global fossil-fuel-based plastic economy:

  • extracting oil and gas
  • transporting them
  • manufacturing plastics
  • shipping products worldwide

Each stage emits heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

Cleanup and degradation releases additional emissions

As plastics fragment into microplastics and nanoplastics:

  • cleanup operations use fuel and energy
  • degradation processes may release more greenhouse gases over time
  • burning collected plastic waste can emit CO₂ if not handled carefully

 

 

 

Arctic rivers run orange as weakened permafrost releases acids

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Rivers of the Arctic run orange with sulfuric acid and other toxins

 

GLOBAL WARMING IS DEGRADING POLAR PERMAFROST, RELEASING heavy METALS, TOXINS AND METHANE LONG STORED BENEATH THE TUNDRA.

Across Alaska and other parts of the Arctic, dozens of once-clear streams and rivers are turning a nasty rusty orange. As documented by NOAA’s 2025 Arctic Report Card, the new phenomenon was evident in over 200 watersheds in the region. The visual result in similar to the waste water generated in waterways by unregulated mining. Images show 

As temperatures rise, permafrost frozen for thousands of years is thawing. The heavy metals, acids and viruses trapped below the tundra are quickly leaching into once pristine waterways. Researchers describe the phenomenon as similar to acid rock drainage that occurs in mining regions. The “rusting” reflects fundamental chemical changes in watersheds systems, as once frozen ground and minerals become exposed to oxygen and water. 

This accelerating scenario represents a grave threat to marine life, wildlife and drinking water for the indigenous people of the region. But the thawing of permafrost has any number of additional consequences, including methane blowout craters, release of once frozen methane into the atmosphere, landslides, and collapse of the ground itself. The global warming-triggered increase in violent rain events is causing an increase in river flooding, which is further releasing heavy metals embedded in river banks.

HOW WARMING GENERATES SULFURIC ACID

Once permafrost begins to thaw, oxygen seeps into the groundwater, which often changes direction of flow.  Once dormant bacteria become active, oxidizing the sulfide minerals. This process breaks them down into dissolved iron and sulfate, which in turn produces sulfuric acid. The acidified water takes on the color of rust.

 

 

Thawing Permafrost releasing sulfuric acid into Arctic rivers

Climate driven arctic river pollution

Arctic rivers turn orange with toxics

 

Hidden Consequences

Methane released from permafrost thaw

Scary Methane feedback cycle as permafrost releases frozen greenhouse gases.

Methane (CH4) is CO2’s meaner older brother, far more destructive but with a shorter attention span. And Methane is indeed a more powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) than carbon dioxide, rated anywhere from 20 to 30 times more potent. Along with Nitrous Oxide and a few others, GHGs trap heat in the atmosphere.

There is a lot of CH4 trapped beneath the surface of the planet, particularly under the permafrost in Siberia, Alaska and other Arctic regions. As the permafrost thaws, the gases trapped below it spew into the atmosphere, creating a fascinating climate feedback cycle with results that are observable in something close to real time.

Feedback cycles

Megaslump grows in Siberia

Megaslump craters transform Arctic terrain as permafrost thaws

Megaslumps blasting out all over: These wild formations (also known as thaw slumps) are not new, but suddenly they are growing and multiplying. Megaslumps are craters formed by methane gases escaping as the permafrost that once capped it disintegrates. We now see footage of grassland wobbling as the substrata terrain becomes wobbly. When the pressure grows to great, there is a blowout. The resulting thermokarst landscape is expanding.

While megaslumps are not new in places like Siberia, the number has been increasing. Megaslumps include land formations such as the ever expanding Hell’s Gate crater in Siberia and thermotarga landscapes.

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Infrastructure collapses as permafrost melts

Northern infrastructure collapsing as the ground shifts beneath it

In Alaska, Siberia and northern Canada, buildings, highways and pipelines are falling down. Humans constructed these artifacts under the assumption that the land would stay solid, but it is NOT staying solid.

As much as half of Arctic infrastructure is at high risk of damage, with estimates of tens of billions of dollars for repairs and replacement.  This estimate does not include the cost of re-locating potentially millions of residents as the area becomes untenable.

 

Global cataclysmic floods report Spring 2026

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Global flood disasters spring 2026

spring floods 2026 bring historic damage and death

Spring 2026 global flood disasters

As new research reveals sea levels are rising faster than predicted, devastating floods and landslides are increasing globally. Read about the three primary drivers of sea level rise.

Hawaii – 1000s evacuated, $1 billion price tag

Angola – 29 dead | Brazil – 59 dead

Dagestan, RU and Chechnya – 6 dead | Botswana – 2,335 displaced

Kenya – 181 dead | Turkey – 2 dead

Afghanistan – 110 dead | Guangdong, China – 4 dead

Yemen – 20 dead | Angola – major railway destruction

Balkans – 90 MPH winds | West Java Indonesia

New Zealand – 9 dead | DR Congo – 2500 evacuated

Tanzania – 20 dead | Kenya (May) – 18 dead

Syria – 20,000 displaced | Turkmenistan – 3 dead

Canary Islands – “uncharted territory”

Kenya (May) – 18 dead | iIdia – 13 dead

 

Google Moves To Power New Data Center with Methane

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Remember when we thought Google was benign?

So much for “Net Zero” commitment.

The search engine and online advertising and AI behemoth with the adorable name is moving ahead to power at least one new AI data center with a 933 MW natural gas plant. This represents a step away from the company’s one time announcement that it would achieve 24/7 carbon free energy,. Of course, there is a difference between announcements and reality. Over the years, Google has managed to seem less evil than many of its tech monster brethren, but that is more or less an illusion. The company has the wherewithal to deploy renewal energy for this and other energy sucking projects, but has chosen not to. The power plant in Texas is the third known gas facility that Google has become involved in over the past few months.

According to the Guardian news platform, the Texas power plant would emit 4.5m tons of carbon dioxide per year, more than that of San Francisco

The new natural gas / methane plant is under construction by Crusoe Energy at Google’s Goodnight Campus in Texas. 

Gaslighting at its best: Why not just call it Methane? 

Natural gas sounds pretty organic man, but it’s 95% methane, along with smaller molecules of ethane, propane and butane. Natural gas is promoted as not as bad as coal as an energy source, but it is composed primarily of CH4. The increase of methane in the atmosphere over the past ten years has been stunning, with surprising consequences in the Arctic. Methane is about 80 times more powerful than CO2 as a greenhouse gas.

Read the full story in the Guardian.

 

Global increase in toxic algae blooms as ocean temperatures rise

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Will A Crash In Coastal Tourism Make Humans Pay Attention?

Alarming ocean temperatures, climate driven changes in current patterns and a surge in agricultural nutrients are a perfect environment for these nasty organisms

Global warming is playing a major role in the rapid rise of toxic algae blooms across the world’s lakes, rivers, and oceans. As average global temperatures increase, water bodies warm as well—and warmer water creates ideal conditions for algae to grow faster and more aggressively. Many harmful algal species, particularly cyanobacteria (often called blue-green algae), thrive in higher temperatures. This means that even small increases in heat can significantly accelerate their reproduction, turning what might have been minor seasonal infestation into large, persistent, and toxic outbreaks.

In addition to warming, climate change is intensifying weather patterns in ways that further fuel these blooms. Heavier rainfall and more frequent storms wash excess nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers—into waterways. These nutrients act like fuel for algae, allowing them to multiply rapidly. At the same time, droughts and reduced water flow can stagnate bodies of water, creating calm, slow-moving conditions that are perfect for the toxic animals to thrive  and spread. This combination of nutrient pollution and climate-driven environmental changes creates a feedback loop that increasingly favors harmful algae over other aquatic life.

Toxic Algae Blooms are Visible From Space and already impacting coastal tourism around the world

Blooms? How language is deployed

In most descriptions of the growing algae crisis, the spread of the organisms is described as a “bloom.” You know: like flowers. Similar to methane rebranded as natural gas or toxic fracking waste renamed “brine.”

Who do you think will win the NCAA (March Madness) basketball tournament?

My long held belief is that most of the species will remain uninterested in global warming emergency until their lives are affected. How do you compete with March Madness or the new baseball season?  Interest will begin peaking when the consumerati find their candy bars disappearing, lattes $20 a cup and shellfish no longer on the menu.

 

 

Health, Ecosystems and Economies

Many harmful algae produce toxins that can contaminate drinking water, kill fish and wildlife, and cause illness in humans, ranging from skin irritation to serious liver and neurological damage. Coastal economies and fishing industries also suffer when blooms lead to dead zones—areas with little to no oxygen—making it impossible for marine life to survive. As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists expect these blooms to become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more widespread, making them a growing environmental and public health crisis.

 

 

Another European Ski Resort Falls To Global Warming

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Vanishing glaciers on Germany’s highest mountain resulted in demolition of another Alpine ski lift.

Europe is losing hundreds more to global warming.

German ski resort demolished

“The glaciers in Bavaria will inevitably melt away, as they can no longer survive in the face of climate change,“.

A ski slope on Zugspitze mountain has been dismantled because the glacier beneath it melted away

Global warming is reshaping the Alps in a number of ways as the region heats about four times faster than the rest of the planet. Among the most economically painful is the closing of ski runs and entire results. The latest high profile loss is a ski slope down the Schneeferner glacier on the Zugspitze mountain, which has been demolished as the glacier beneath it disappeared for good. The life has been in operation for 50 years. The peak of Zugspitze is 9,700 ft. high, located in the Wetterstein massif along Germany’s border with Austria.

HUNDREDS OF EUROPEAN RESORTS CLOSING OR THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

Across Europe and especially in France, warming temperatures are forcing ski resorts to close permanently or abandon traditional operations, with 186 resorts in France closing the in the past several years. Up to 98% of European resorts face severe snow shortages. While many are filling in with artificial snow, there is a limit to that process, which also uses huge amounts of energy. 

Related: What is a GLOF?

Related: What is a GLOF

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) are not new, but the incidents of these startling events are ramping up as mountain glaciers melt. Several recent incidents have had catastrophic results in Alpine regions around the world.

As glaciers melt at a frenetic pace, new lakes back up behind newly ice dams in the Andes, Alps and Himalayas. When these dams break, massive torrents rush downstream, often in a cataclysmic flood. These floods have become more common as global warming causes rapid melting of glaciers around the world.

Link Here.

Global Warming update map for Spring 2026

Update: 2026 Early Spring Climate Events

Summary of extreme and catastrophic global warming events including record floods, wildfires and droughts, plus alarming trends that are not likely to reverse for thousands of years. Link here.

Pakistan’s Hopper Glacier is shrinking rapidly due to climate change. Photo: Mohd Farooq Azam/ICIMOD

Related: Himalayas’ glacier loss threatens water supplies for 2 billion

Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers shrinking more rapidly than larger ones. New research shows this is not a a future problem, it’s a now problem. 

Late Winter Global Warming Highlights

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Arizona breaks all time March heat record for US

Martinez Lake, Arizona reached 110°F degrees  on Thursday, breaking a record for the highest March temperature recorded in the United States. The record-setting temperature was recorded as a winter heat wave scorched the Southwest, according to the National Weather Service. 

The previous record of 108 degrees had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954. North Shore, California matched the temperature. 

Globally, heat records are also falling in South America and the Middle East.

record low maximum sea ice

New Arctic Sea Ice “Low Maximum Extent” ushers in Spring

Yet another new record daily low was set for Arctic sea-ice extent, over 50,000 km² below the previous record daily low, previously set on March 17, 2017.

The low maximum is not a contradiction. It means: 

  • In winter, the Arctic ice pack expands its area
  • Satellites measure the maximum extent each season, usually in March
  • The reference to low maximum extent means total area continues to shrink year to year.

The 2025 Arctic daily sea ice maximum extent reached a record low of 5.53 million square miles) on March 22, 2025 the lowest in 47 years of satellite records. 2026 is about same, or slightly less.

Extreme storm delivers 135 MPH winds, 62 in. rainfall and major devastation in Hawaii 

Hawaiians are just beginning to recover from a historic storm in early March that shattered decades-old rainfall records and left a trail of destruction from Hanalei to Kihei to Hilo.

From 135 mph wind gusts on Hawaii Island to 62 inches of rainfall on Maui, a recent Kona low system brought weather conditions usually reserved for major hurricanes to the state. 

Alongside immense flooding, the storm brought destructive winds. The Hawaii Mesonet station on Hawaii Island recorded a maximum wind gust of 135.4 mph. Winds were briefly sustained at speeds equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane, averaging 105 MPH over a 15-minute period.

Maui was hit the hardest, with peak rainfall totals reaching 62 inches in localized regions. 

A similar Kona Low system is heading towards Hawaii on March 19, bringing additional rain and gusty winds to the island.

Hawaii storm devastation

Global deforestation increases

Deforestation continues to increase globally, driven by agriculture and illegal logging

According to the FAO, from 2015 to 2025, the planet lost an average of 10.9 million hectares of forest per year. The highest rates of deforestation are  in Africa and South America, where forests are burned out to be replaced by crops and pastures for cattle..

The Amazon in particular experienced a significant surge in losses, with a 110% increase in some areas between 2023 and 2024. Deforestation also spiked in the Brazilian Cerrado, Bolivia, and Indonesia.

Many nations have made pledges to help slow the destruction, but few have done anything but talk.

Kenya flood death toll rises to 71 as forecasters warn of renewed heavy rainfall

At least 71 people have died in flood-related incidents across Kenya since March 6, 2026, with Nairobi the hardest-hit area, as the Kenya Meteorological Department issued a Heavy Rainfall Advisory on March 18, warning that rainfall will intensify again across most parts of the country through March 24.

Flash floods had begun affecting the region since March 6–7, when overnight rainfall caused the Nairobi River to burst its banks.

Currently, a total of 36 fatalities have been confirmed in Nairobi, 19 in the Eastern Province, 8 in the Rift Valley, 4 in Nyanza, 3 in Coast, and 1 in the Central Province. Most of the fatalities were caused by the overflow of the Nairobi and Ngong Rivers.

At least 2 622 people have been displaced and sheltered, and several homes and roads have been destroyed; damage to power lines and water infrastructure has also been reported.

71 dead in March 2026 floods Kenya Floods

Italy Floods 2026

More Intense rain events hit southern Italy 

Severe weather triggered flooding and landslides across parts of southern Italy, with the worst impacts reported in Calabria, particularly in the province of Cosenza. Intense rainfall exceeding 200 mm in just 24–36 hours overwhelmed rivers including the Trionto River and Fiumarella River, leading to rapid flooding across urban areas. Towns such as Crosia, Corigliano-Rossano, and nearby coastal communities experienced landslides, submerged roads, and evacuations as unstable hillsides collapsed under saturated conditions. Emergency services responded to over 100 incidents, while dozens of residents were evacuated from high-risk zones. Authorities warn that ongoing soil instability and elevated river levels may continue to pose risks, even after rainfall decreases, highlighting the growing impact of extreme weather across southern Italy..

Flash floods in Tripoli continue pattern of lethal weather events

Heavy rain and strong winds caused flooding across the Libyan capital of Tripoli. The National Meteorological Centre warned residents in western regions, particularly in Tripoli and surrounding areas, to remain indoors overnight into Tuesday morning as severe weather continues. Emergency services said they had received distress calls from motorists stranded on several roads, including parts of the capital’s ring roads, after rising rainwater levels left vehicles trapped.

A teenager was electrocuted and killed by a downed power line while attempting to rescue people trapped in floodwaters in Tripoli’s Tajoura district overnight.

Upwards of 10,000 people were killed by floods in Sept. 2023.

Tripoli floods

 

Of Note:

  • A Super El Nino looks increasingly likely for the middle of the year. This cyclical pattern drives higher temperatures and extreme weather. 
  • “Extreme weather has wiped out cereal production equivalent to more than a tenth of England’s arable land, raising alarm over the growing threat to UK food security.
  • Heat records continue to fall in the Middle East as March high temperatures: reach 105.1F and lows hover at 85F. These temperatures are typical of May-June.
  • “Analysis of satellite data by Down To Earth (DTE) shows that over the past decade forest fires in high-elevation areas in the western Himalayas have quadrupled.“

350 evacuated in Norway due to wildfires

The fire, which broke out near residential areas, prompted authorities to take urgent safety measures and evacuate the population. The large-scale fire began on the afternoon of 17 March in a forested area on one of the islands where the city is located.

Due to the immediate threat to private homes, approximately 350 residents of the area were forced to leave their homes. 

This event reflects the under the radar trend toward rapidly increasing wildfire events in the Arctic.

350 Evacuated in Norway fires

 

 

Jellyfish shut down two French nuclear plants

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Jellyfish bloom shuts down 2 nuclear plants in France

Warming oceans driving jellyfish into new habitats

It’s not science fiction and it’s not an isolated incident.

In August and September 2025, massive swarms of jellyfish caused significant disruptions at two of France’s largest nuclear power plants, Gravelines and Paluel, by clogging their cooling water intake systems.

A “massive and unpredictable” swarm of jellyfish entered the Gavelines water pumping station filters, leading to the automatic shutdown of four of the plant’s six reactors. With the other two units already down for maintenance, the entire site was temporarily nonoperational.

Less than a month later, jellyfish clogged filters at the Paluel plant in Normandy forcing shutdown of one reactor and reducing the output of another by a total of 2.4 gigawatts.

CLARIFICATION: You may encounter overwrought descriptions of these events using the term “angry jellyfish,” but these primitive marine lifeforms have neither brains, nor to the best of our knowledge, emotions. 

Global Warming one of several human driven causes (But the j-fist aren’t actually angry)

As with most climate driven environmental tragedies, the causes of global jellyfish blooms are multiple and interlocking. The one common factor is humans.

  • Climate Change: Warmer ocean temperatures speed up jellyfish reproduction and increase plankton populations, their primary food source.
  • Overfishing: The removal of natural predators like tuna and sea turtles allows jellyfish populations to grow unchecked.
  • Invasive Species: Cargo ships can transport invasive jellyfish species, such as the 
    Asian Moon jellyfish , into new environments via ballast tanks.

Jellyfish invasions increasingly shut down nuclear plants

Jellyfish blooms moving north

Jellyfish incursions at other nuclear plants.

  • Sweden: In 2013, a swarm paralyzed a reactor at the Oskarshamn plant for three days.
  • Scotland: The  Torness nuclear plant 2011 | 2021.
  • Philippines: 1999 Massive blackout 
  • Other Locations: Shutdowns or disruptions have been reported at coastal plants in Japan, Israel, and the United States..

 

Causes of global sea level rise may surprise you

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Accelerating sea level rise: melting land ice also changes ocean chemistry

Accelerating land ice melt is also changing ocean chemistry

25% 

The massive Greenland ice cap is shrinking an by average of 30 million tons an hour – which is 20% more than was previously thought. This additional source of freshwater pouring into the North Atlantic contributes to the slowing of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), a dire state of affairs for Europe’s climate. This alters salinity, which affects the system that powers the global water conveyor (explained below).

More on AMOC slowdown and other tipping points.

Ice loss from Antarctica continues to accelerate and is now estimated at 150 Gigatons per year. This is a sevenfold increase since the 80’s and adds an additional .5 mm per year to sea levels.  

Globally, mountain glaciers have been losing mass rapidly and contribute around 0.2 to 0.4 mm per year to sea-level rise.

SURPRISE!

Groundwater depletion is rapidly moving water to oceans, and under the radar source of sea level rise 

25% 

THE THIRD CAUSE IS UNKNOWN TO MOST PEOPLE.

Groundwater depletion from irrigation and other human activities is a major though often overlooked, contributor to sea level rise, adding new freshwater to oceans that was previously stored on land. A relatively recent discover, this category of water transfer to the oceans may now equal or exceed melting glaciers and ice sheets. This human activity is causing a global shift in the water cycle, which is virtually never a good thing for humans.

More Here

Over pumping aquifers raises sea levels

Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion

Thermal expansion of the ocean contributes more to sea level rise than melting polar ice

50%

About half of current sea level rise is attributable to ocean thermal expansion. When seawater warms, it expands, and takes up more volume, significantly contributing to sea-level rise. as oceans absorb over 90% of Earth’s trapped heat from greenhouse gases, causing water molecules to spread out, leading to rising coastal waters. This process accounts for about half of global sea-level rise, with warmer temperatures increasing the total volume (not the amount of water, but rather the space the water takes up) of water in the planetary ocean, impacting coastal areas and ecosystems worldwide.

Gulf steam (AMOC) slowdown

Greenland and the slowing AMOC

GREENLAND AND THE AMOC

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is weakening,  This slowdown, driven by Greenland ice melt and increased freshwater in the North Atlantic, threatens to cause severe weather shifts, including rapid European cooling, enhanced Atlantic sea-level rise, and intense drought.

When examined independently, the accelerating melt rate of the Greenland Ice Sheets and the slowing of the AMOC are alarming in a fairly obvious way. There are trillions of tons of fresh water ice atop the Greenland land mass. As it continues to melt at ever increasing rates, it will add to ocean volume and sea level rise. The AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation), which includes the Gulf Stream, carries warm tropical water to the North Atlantic, which moderates the temperatures of Northern Europe. The slowing of this ocean stream will fundamentally alter the climate of Europe. 

LESS HEAT MOVING NORTH TO WARM EUROPE

The relationship between these two systems is based on the fact that the AMOC is driven by water salinity. When the waters cool in the northern reaches, they sink to the bottom, which creates the overturning effect. That powers the current. When huge quantities of fresh water  are dumped into the salt water ocean, the salinity changes and the power of the overturning system is diminished.  

A weakened AMOC is also likely to compromise the northern Amazonia rain forest and bring warmer waters to Antarctica, hastening the coastal ice shelves collapse. 

 

Italy’s “Lovers’ Arch” collapse is a sad global warming allegory

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Italy’s Lovers’ Arch Collapsed On Valentine’s Day

ICONIC AND IRONIC

A famous limestone rock formation known as “Lovers’ Arch” (Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea) collapsed into the Adriatic Sea on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026. The popular tourist destination had been pounded in the past couple of months by unrelenting storms, including Cyclone Harry in January. Another week of high winds and rough waters finished it off.

 

YES, IT REALLY IS GLOBAL WARMING
As with most effects of global warming, there are multiple causes for the poetic end of this particularly compelling tourist attraction.  he Mediterranean region has reported its hottest years on record for the past three years, resulting in warming seas are supercharging the atmosphere and fueling extreme events. While the collapse of the Lovers’ Arch was inevitable, climate change has hastened the event by decades.

The Arch has been the source of legend and myth for thousands of years. Local residents believed sirens lived in the hidden grottos and also that giants tossing the limestone blocks around for fun, creating the dramatic formations. Because giants get bored too.

This phenomenon is becoming impossible to ignore as coastal regions around the world deal with a rise in sea levels that is now significantly more rapid than predicted. 

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Lovers' arch destroyed by global warming

Lovers' Arch collapses into the Mediterranean

OBX Cottages crashing into the sea in 2025

Climate change is causing accelerated beach erosion and rising sea levels on the Outer Banks (OBX), leading to multiple, accelerating oceanfront home collapses, particularly in villages like Rodanthe and Buxton on Hatteras Island. Since 2020, over 25+ homes have fallen into the Atlantic, driven by stronger storms, intensified coastal erosion, and a shrinking shoreline. 

 

  • Collapsing Homes: Since 2020, numerous homes have collapsed, with a surge in incidents during late 2025 and early 2026.
  • Erosion and Sea Level Rise: The shoreline is rapidly narrowing, bringing oceanfront homes closer to the water and making them vulnerable to high tides and storms.
  • Affected Areas: Rodanthe, Buxton, and other parts of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are experiencing the most acute issues.
  • Environmental Damage: Collapsed homes release debris, including septic tanks, insulation, and wood, into the ocean and along miles of beaches.
  • Infrastructure Risks: Coastal storms and rising sea levels threaten not just homes, but critical infrastructure on the barrier islands.
  • Insurance and Future: Homeowners face immense difficulty securing insurance, leading to concerns about the long-term viability of some locations. 

Despite these risks, the desire for oceanfront views continues to drive demand, with some research suggesting that subsidies for beach nourishment and rebuilding encourage continued development in high-risk areas. 

More OBX cottages collapse into the ocean as seas rise and storms get worse

Coastal erosion in Yorkshire

England’s slow retreat as land and infrastructure falls into the sea

Dramatic events in multiple UK coastal locations are evidence of accelerating erosion driven by global warming.  Recent major incidents in 2026, including at Stonebarrow and in Devon, have forced closures, caused landslips, and damaged infrastructure.
Key Aspects of UK Coastal Collapse (2025-2026),
  • Active Collapses: In February 2026, large cliff collapses and mudslides occurred at Stonebarrow on the Jurassic Coast, forcing the closure of the South West Coast Path. Similar incidents occurred on Crimdon beach.
  • Regional Damage: Winter storms (Goretti, Ingrid, Chandra) in early 2026 caused “absolute havoc” to the 630-mile South West Coast Path, with repairs costing over 
    . Significant damage was reported in Cornwall and Devon, including the A379 road.

 

  • Long-term Threats: Up to 80,000 homes in England are at risk of falling into the sea by 2100 due to accelerated erosion.

Santa Cruz collapse

Santa Cruz wharf takes the plunge

The iconic wharf at Santa Cruz was smashed into the ocean by an onslaught of massive waves during a violent Pacific storm. An “atmospheric river” generated swells of 30 to 40 feet, with some sets reaching 60 feet, that slammed into the already damaged south end of the pier. Approximately 150 to 180 feet of the wharf’s end fell into the ocean. This section included a restroom, the Dolphin restaurant, and construction equipment from an ongoing $4 million restoration project.

Three workers (a project manager and two engineers) were tossed into the water when the structure gave way. Two were rescued by lifeguards on jet skis, and one managed to swim to safety; no serious injuries were reported.

Alexandria continues to loose buildings to the sea

Building collapses have jumped from one per year to approximately 40 per year over the last decade. Rising seas push saltwater into foundations, eroding them “from the bottom up” and threatening over 7,000 structures.

Seas reclaiming Alexandria