Why the collapse of an Atlantic ocean current could mean La Niña becomes the norm | Matthew England, Andréa S. Taschetto and Bryam Orihuela-Pinto for the Conversation

Global La Nina-like conditions could result in more flooding rains in east Australia and bushfires in south-west US

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Climate change is slowing down the conveyor belt of ocean currents that brings warm water from the tropics up to the north Atlantic. Our research, published today in Nature Climate Change, looks at the profound consequences to global climate if this Atlantic conveyor collapses entirely.

We found the collapse of this system - called the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation - would shift the Earth's climate to a more La Nina-like state. This would mean more flooding rains over eastern Australia and worse droughts and bushfire seasons over south-west US.