Iceland has classified the potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as a national security threat, enabling the government to plan for worst-case climate scenarios.
The AMOC carries warm water from the tropics to the Arctic, keeping Europe’s winters mild, but Greenland’s melting ice could disrupt the current and trigger extreme cold across Northern Europe.
Climate Minister Johann Pall Johannsson said this is the first time a climate phenomenon has been formally presented to Iceland’s National Security Council as an existential risk requiring immediate government coordination.
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The government is assessing energy, food, and infrastructure vulnerabilities, while preparing disaster response policies to mitigate the ripple effects of a possible AMOC collapse on transportation and essential services.
Scientists warn that global consequences could extend far beyond Europe, potentially altering rainfall patterns in Africa, India, and South America, accelerating warming in Antarctica, and threatening global food and water security.
Nordic countries and other European research agencies are funding studies to understand societal impacts and tipping points, with Iceland emphasizing early action over waiting for long-term scientific certainty.