A triple blow to the Earth: “A massive problem for all of humanity” 

 

Christina Nordh

Published 12:57

         

      In a warmer climate, melting ice sheets could weaken the AMOC and the Gulf Stream. “All our                  climate models show this weakening, but there is also a risk that it could stall even more dramatically.        If that happens, significantly less warm water would move northward in the Atlantic,” says Erik                  Kjellström. Photo: Wei Liu, Shang-Ping Xie, Zhengyu Liu, and Jiang Zhu/Science.org. See more

NORRKÖPING. Climate change is a threat.

But it is not the only one.

Researchers are now identifying three critical dangers to the future of the planet.

In Norrköping, Sweden’s climate experts are currently gathered for SMHI’s conference, “Prio.”

The graphs glow an angry red.

“We are already experiencing climate change in Sweden. As long as there are emissions, it will continue,” says climate researcher Gustav Strandberg.

2.8 degrees warmer

Erik Kjellström, a professor of climatology, states:

“Looking 100 years ahead or more, the warming in Sweden is nearly twice as intense. When compared to the 1860s—when our record-keeping began—the long-term smoothed average shows an increase of 2.8 degrees.”

In the summer of 2025, northern Sweden was hit by a prolonged heatwave—a stark contrast to this year’s summer, which was largely a washout.

“Last summer, northern Sweden was about two degrees warmer than it would have been had humans not influenced the climate,” he says. Human emissions have caused disruptions to the climate system. Today, it remains unclear to what extent this will have an impact in the future, says Erik Kjellström.

“The more carbon dioxide we emit, and the warmer it gets, the further we move away from what we are accustomed to. The ultimate extent and intensity of this warming represent a fundamental uncertainty, one that is inextricably linked to our emissions. Furthermore, we do not know exactly how phenomena such as large-scale atmospheric wind patterns will be affected.”

A Triple Crisis

What is the greatest threat to humanity today ?

“We are facing a triple planetary crisis: climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and pollution. Together, these constitute a massive problem for all of humanity. It is not just climate change in isolation; rather, it is the combination of these factors,” says Erik Kjellström.

“Climate change is happening here and now—and it will only continue to worsen unless we get our greenhouse gas emissions under control.”

What are you most concerned about?

“The issue of freshwater. We cannot survive without water,” says Gustav Strandberg.

How urgent is the need for climate adaptation?

“It becomes increasingly important with each passing day. We are not even adapted to the climate we have today. We are already lagging behind, yet the climate continues to change. The ‘debt’ just keeps growing.”