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Climate Threat  Global Challenges
Amoc is weakening at a critical rate – close to collapse

The Atlantic Meridional Circulation (Amoc) is weakening faster than previously thought, reports The Guardian, citing a new study.

Amoc is a cycle of currents, where warm tropical water moves north to the Arctic via the Gulf Stream, among other things, and cools and sinks.

According to the study, Amoc could weaken by 42 to 58 percent by the year 2100. The level is estimated to lead to collapse of the system, and researchers warn that this could be a disaster for Europe, Africa and North and South America.

Stefan Rahmstorf is a professor at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and has been researching Amoc for 35 years. He says this is the most dramatic development of climate change seen in 100,000 years.

– I am increasingly concerned that we may well pass the tipping point where a shutdown of Amoc becomes inevitable, in the middle of this century, which is quite soon, he says.

The aviation crisis
New system creates hours-long queues at EU airports

A new EU system for border controls that comes into force on Friday has created long queues at European airports – and panic among those who run them. This is what Semafor writes.

The system means that people visiting the EU for the first time must register their personal data and biometric data at the airport. The cumbersome process has given rise to queues of at least three hours in at least fifteen countries, according to the newspaper.

– This situation, in the coming weeks, not to mention during the summer months, will simply be impossible to manage, Olivier Jankovec of the airports industry association ACI tells the Financial Times.

 
Fire in Australia
Energy Minister on the fire: “There will be consequences”

After a twelve-hour operation last night, Australian emergency services were able to extinguish the severe fire at one of the country's two oil refineries, reports Sky News Australia.

The Geelong refinery accounts for half of the oil in Victoria. Ten percent of the country's entire supply depends on production there.

– This will have consequences, says Energy Minister Chris Bowen in a statement.

No one was injured in the fire.

Major fire at Australian oil refinery

An oil refinery in Geelong, Australia, is on fire, reports ABC News. The fire is believed to have been caused by a leak of liquid hydrocarbons and despite eight hours having passed, the fire is not under control.

Several minor explosions were heard from the scene.

The Geelong refinery is one of two in the country that can produce gasoline from crude oil. Deliveries from the refineries have been in focus recently due to the Iran war, which has pressured global oil transport.