The Northern Hemisphere and the Winter of Global Warming: Between Snowstorms, Ocean Currents, and the Future of the World Economy

In recent days, the Northern Hemisphere has faced devastating snowstorms, record-breaking temperatures, and even deaths linked to extreme cold. In a previous column, I wrote that this type of event is a consequence of global warming. Since then, I have received criticism from readers who consider this statement incoherent. After all, how can the planet be warming while experiencing historic freezes?

The Northern Hemisphere and the Winter of Global Warming: Between Snowstorms, Ocean Currents, and the Future of the World Economy

I am an economist by training, not a climatologist. Biology and physics were never my strongest subjects. But by choosing to defend this issue, I feel compelled to dive into the scientific literature to deliver a message that is honest, free from ideological bias, and grounded in science. Science, after all, is not ideological it is a method of investigation that seeks to understand reality through observation, experimentation, and validation.

Being a climate scientist is a harsh vocation. It means watching the world deteriorate, seeing models confirm bleak scenarios, and still facing a polarized society that insists on denying evidence. My admiration for these professionals is profound. They validate simulations, refine methodologies, and provide early warnings that are, unfortunately, often ignored.

The core of this discussion is the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation), an ocean current system that functions as the heart of the global climate system. In simple terms, we can imagine the planet as a human body: just as blood circulation keeps organs alive, ocean currents transport heat and nutrients, regulating the global climate. The AMOC, in particular, carries warm Atlantic waters northward and returns cold waters southward. This movement is sustained by thermohaline circulation, which depends on water temperature and salinity.

The problem is that the accelerated melting of glaciers releases massive amounts of freshwater into the ocean, altering water density and weakening this flow. It is as if the planet’s heart were beginning to fail. The IPCC, in its 2023 report, already warned of signs of a potential collapse. Recent studies reinforce this concern. The Hollywood film The Day After Tomorrow dramatized this scenario, depicting a sudden and catastrophic freeze. While the movie exaggerates the speed of events, the scientific logic behind the plot is real: a collapse of the AMOC could trigger a new glacial era.

It is worth remembering that ocean gyres follow distinct circular patterns: counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, due to the Coriolis force. Currents such as the Gulf Stream, the Humboldt Current, and the Brazil Current illustrate how oceans directly influence climate, shaping winds, rainfall, and temperatures.

Unfortunately, the environmental agenda has been held hostage by the interests of the oil industry, geopolitics, and trade wars. Never before have we had so much technology to solve our problems and yet, paradoxically, we often use it to create new ones.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projects that climate change impacts could drastically reduce global GDP, with devastating effects on agriculture, forests, and regions vulnerable to sea-level rise. The risk is real and greater than previously anticipated.

It is essential to distinguish between weather and climate. Weather refers to short-term conditions, such as a snowstorm. Climate refers to long-term patterns, which clearly show a trend of global warming. The weakening of ocean currents is driven by our greenhouse gas emissions. Natural causes do exist, but they operate on cycles lasting thousands of years. We are accelerating this process into centuries perhaps even decades. It is like being on a plane in free fall: everyone can see the ground approaching and the control panels flashing warnings, yet many choose denial.

If, fifty years from now, someone reads this article and says I was wrong, it will be a victory. It will mean we overcame intolerance, doubt, and denialism. But if scientific warnings continue to be ignored, the point of no return will draw ever closer.

The solution lies in the energy transition. This is the banner I defend: replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources, investing in efficiency, expanding distributed generation, and betting on batteries and smart grids. The energy transition is not merely an economic agenda — it is the primary way to mitigate the effects of climate change.

I conclude with a reflection: we are facing a civilizational choice. We can continue to deny reality, trapped by short-term interests, or we can act with courage and responsibility. The future is not a distant abstraction; it is being shaped right now. And if we fail to change course, the day after tomorrow may arrive much sooner than we imagine.

Renato ZimmermannSustainable business developer and energy transition activistContact: rena.zimm@gmail.com

The Northern Hemisphere and the Winter of Global Warming: Between Snowstorms, Ocean Currents, and the Future of the World Economy