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Could Northern Europe get colder while the rest of the world warms up?

随着全球变暖欧洲北部反而会变得更冷吗？

文字稿

Could Northern Europe get much colder while the rest of the world heats up? Scientists are worried it's possible.

欧洲北部会在全世界变得更热的情况下反而变得更冷吗？科学家们担心这种情况很可能会发生。

There's a system of currents in the Atlantic Ocean that brings warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic. It then returns cold, deep water southwards.

大西洋的一个洋流系统会从热带地区向北大西洋输送温暖的海水。这个洋流系统会再将寒冷的深层海水送回南方。

It's called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC for short.

这个系统被称为 “大西洋经向翻转环流”，或缩写为 “AMOC”。

This circulation drives weather patterns.

这种环流驱动着气候模式的变化。

It is why, for instance, the UK and Northern Europe are warmer in winter than places at similar latitudes, like Moscow.

举例来说，这个环流致使英国和欧洲北部具有比纬度相同的地区更温暖的冬季，比如莫斯科。

But climate change is melting ice sheets and changing rainfall patterns. That could weaken AMOC.

但气候变化正在让冰盖融化并改变降雨模式。这可能让 AMOC 的强度减弱。

Worse, if AMOC were to collapse, it would make parts of Northern Europe an average of 10 degrees colder over a century, while the rest of the world warms up.

更糟糕的是，如果 AMOC 失效的话，欧州北部地区的温度可能会在一个世纪内平均下降 10 度，而世界其它地区的气温将会升高。

It could also disrupt monsoons in Africa and India, causing global chaos.

AMOC 失效也可能会让非洲和印度的雨季受到影响，让全球的气候变得混乱。

Scientists are still debating how likely this is to happen, but some are growing concerned.

科学家仍在讨论 AMOC 失效的可能性有多大，但一部分人对此变得愈发担忧。

The best way to prevent this? Reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.

最好的预防方法是什么？那就是减少导致气候变化的温室气体排放。