The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a vast system of ocean currents that plays a crucial role in regulating global climate. It moves heat from the south to the north in the Atlantic Ocean, impacting various aspects of human life, from agriculture to infrastructure and health. However, the AMOC is under threat of collapse, which could change Europe's climate up to 10 times faster than expected. This is a metaphorical disaster, as we spend billions on monitoring space for asteroids, but only a fraction of that amount on monitoring a more imminent and likely threat on Earth. The AMOC is projected to weaken under current climate change, but there is little consensus on when and how fast this will occur. This lack of understanding complicates matters for policymakers to implement adaptive strategies to reduce financial loss and impact on human lives. The AMOC monitoring is at risk of being discontinued, and the Trump administration has proposed budget cuts to NASA, NOAA, and NSF, which provide about 50% of the total AMOC monitoring budget. The recently launched European OceanEye initiative has allocated €50m for ocean observations, but this is not enough to sustain the current observing systems. The cost of all AMOC monitoring adds up to about €25m a year, which is a small price to pay for a system that impacts our everyday lives and improves resilience to the climate crisis. We urge the EU, the UK, and other international partners to step up and collaborate to assure long-term continuation of AMOC monitoring before it is lost. Personally, I think that the AMOC monitoring is an urgent, global priority, and we should treat it as such. What makes this particularly fascinating is that the AMOC is a planetary-scale system with very little direct observation. In my opinion, we need to improve our observation strategy for the future and construct an alternative international funding strategy to secure long-term AMOC monitoring. This will provide the knowledge to build a safer and more resilient world. A detail that I find especially interesting is that the AMOC monitoring was initially viewed as an academic pursuit, but it should now be treated as an urgent, global priority. This raises a deeper question: how can we balance the need for scientific research with the urgency of addressing climate change? If we take a step back and think about it, we can see that the AMOC monitoring is not just about understanding the past, but also about preparing for the future. What this really suggests is that we need to invest in long-term monitoring and research to improve our understanding of the AMOC and its impact on the climate. One thing that immediately stands out is that the AMOC monitoring is not just a scientific endeavor, but also a matter of global security and resilience. What many people don't realize is that the AMOC monitoring is a small price to pay for a system that impacts our everyday lives and improves resilience to the climate crisis. If we don't act now, we risk losing a crucial tool for understanding and addressing climate change. In conclusion, the AMOC monitoring is at a critical juncture, and we need to act boldly to secure its long-term continuation. We urge the EU, the UK, and other international partners to step up and collaborate to assure long-term continuation of AMOC monitoring before it is lost. Personally, I think that this is a call to action for the global community to come together and address the urgent need for AMOC monitoring. What makes this particularly fascinating is that it is not just a scientific issue, but also a matter of global security and resilience.
