Ocean waters are constantly on the move, traveling far distances in complex currents that regulate Earth’s climate and weather patterns. How might climate change impact this critical system? Oceanographer Susan Lozier dives into the data, which suggests that ocean overturning is slowing down as waters gradually warm — and takes us on board the international effort to track these changes and set us on the right course while we still have time.
Countdown is TED’s global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. The goal: to build a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, in the race to a zero-carbon world. Get involved at
Learn more about #TEDCountdown:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Facebook:
Website:
If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:
Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.
Watch more:
TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at
#TED #TEDTalks
@THEOneAndOnlyDOCTORofHUMANICS
February 22, 2024 at 2:59 pm
This is a good one! Well-written, and delivered in a pleasing voice!
Professor-Marty.
@Neilhuny
February 22, 2024 at 3:09 pm
“About nine years” is a frighteningly short time to get it right!
Come on, politicians and voters: do something!
@user-mg5cm4vs3m
February 22, 2024 at 3:13 pm
Terrible, terrifying words said in a wonderful gentle way.
@edwardmacnab354
February 22, 2024 at 3:16 pm
there is no such thing as a climate disaster . Humans do not like change but real climate does change over time . Why not just embrace the changes . After all , who is the mightier , Nature ? , OR you puny Humans ?
@Jc-ms5vv
February 22, 2024 at 4:17 pm
no such thing is a climate disaster? Please explain
@tikaanipippin
February 22, 2024 at 3:36 pm
Sadly another item of CO2 disinformation from the scientific climate lobby, whose livelihoods and tenure depend on the political research pursestring. Carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean to end up as bicarbonate ions that buffer the ocean to about pH8.5, and it is exactly the dissolved ocean bicarbonate that ends up in animal shells and coral skeletons. We know this because there is a difference between atmospheric distribution ratio of the stable carbon isotopes C12 and C13 and that ratio in biomass and fossil fuels, which are generally similar to each other, and that ratio in ocean bicarbonate, and corals, seashells with a similar ratio in limestone from millions of years ago, e.g. the Cretaceous etc. Fossil fuel and biomass produce carbon dioxide in a different ratio to that plants release into the atmosphere. Their enzymic processes prefer to incorporate C12 in preference to C13 to produce carbohydrates and proteins, although their lipid production is a little less fussy.
@barryamorris
February 22, 2024 at 3:54 pm
There is no climate crisis. Only manipulation of the weather systems and “wildfires” started by arsonists.
@mtn1793
February 22, 2024 at 4:00 pm
She’d make a formidable A-I voice!
@mainorramirez6610
February 22, 2024 at 4:01 pm
Climate change is not what they are selling. This is recurrent event that have occurred under every Earth’s period. The Earth needed and needs to liberate all its contained heat and radiation every cycle. “Socialism-progres” is trying to buy a Terror Propaganda over ignorant people that can easily purchase all that they hear. Please do an honest and deep research NOT on what they are telling you, but your own findings over historical, stunning and trusted sources over our Earth planet cycles and periods, and get your own conclusions here. Cheers!
@spacecat6463
February 22, 2024 at 4:31 pm
just continue analyzing
@moistdaddy451
February 22, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Maga
@snoojze
February 22, 2024 at 5:00 pm
😀
@robpage9025
February 22, 2024 at 5:06 pm
Superb talk
@stephentrueman4843
February 22, 2024 at 5:10 pm
Good luck to your children and grandchildren cleaning up all the other issues to
@newqlar
February 22, 2024 at 5:40 pm
I want that woman to announce each and every bad news I’m ever to receive in my life.
@RogueSecret
February 22, 2024 at 5:40 pm
co2 and methane aint potent gasses, co2 is 0.04% of the atmosphere, and is If the Earth’s temperature were to rise by 1.4°C over the next 100 years, that would be an average increase of 0.014°C per year…
So each year they want to waste billions and reduce all living standar to reduce the average temp with 0.014°C by fighting a weak gass that is 0.04% of the atmosphere… And that gass would not even rise the climate with 0.014°C if it was 0.08 of the atmosphere even…
@pierre1119able
February 22, 2024 at 5:40 pm
What happens when a heat sink overflows?
@SquizzMe
February 22, 2024 at 6:30 pm
“OSNAP” is a very apt acronym.
@Christianmingle420
February 22, 2024 at 6:34 pm
Yall it’s time to stop wishing and hoping for change, get angry and demand it from the governments and elites obstructing our future.
@johnellis4475
February 22, 2024 at 6:52 pm
What is the unit (Sv) used on the IPCC 2021 assessment graph please ? The only one I know is sievert ???
@davidspringer4019
February 22, 2024 at 6:53 pm
Smooth, well said…when I was young we called this kind of talk a con. Instead of blaming humans, be scientific and check out the sun’s influence, the cycle of weather over a hundred two hundred years, the ebb and flow of moon tides, and there is so much more. I find you condescending, pedantic, and pushing something for power, money or another reason, promoting the disintegration of the integrity of freedom and liberty, undermining the Constitution and what it means for the pursuit of happiness.
@stanyeaman4824
February 22, 2024 at 7:17 pm
Scare ‘em silly with what is no more than pure unscientific speculation. Utterly disgraceful
@stanyeaman4824
February 22, 2024 at 7:24 pm
Take a look at known Jurassic atmospheric CO2 was c.1,800ppm. There was no significant oceanic acidification. Corals and shell-fish thrived. Stop scaring the public with this rubbish.
@paxdriver
February 22, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Currents are the effect of temperature differentials, and solar energy hits the large body at the equator ^2 more than the poles because the earth is a sphere, so currents should increase not decrease with more energy trapped in the atmosphere imho. The math doesn’t follow her claims
@JaseboMonkeyRex
February 22, 2024 at 8:04 pm
We’re measuring the effects of economic growth…a global system founded on the ideology of the cancer cell.
It is killing the host and unless we can stop growing the economy nothing will change…
We burn fossil fuel to grow the economy….
At its roots this is a simple problem… The implications are world changing…
@joestitz239
February 22, 2024 at 8:29 pm
As the moon gets little fartherxaay each year, ocean currentsxwill slow some-gradually.
But global warming is Bullshit.
@user-bx5xf5nk6d
February 23, 2024 at 5:20 am
Such a soothing voice to listen to my god
@felipevalfer
February 23, 2024 at 5:40 am
I don’t like people saying “if our climate continues to warm”, it’s while our climate conitnues to warm
@KJ-vc3sw
February 23, 2024 at 11:21 am
A very good explanation of how the AMOC works, and its role in stabilizing hemispheric temperature gradients and global climate patterns.
Thank you, Dr. Lozier. That voice of yours is perfect.
@bdca7404
February 23, 2024 at 1:36 pm
Thank you for the informative content😊
@patricianoll1229
February 23, 2024 at 2:02 pm
Ecosystems change many times time for us now😅😅😅
@suziperret468
February 23, 2024 at 2:02 pm
It is going to be a rapid change of the over turning of ocean current. It has begun. Oceans are already affected.
@marktwain368
February 23, 2024 at 6:22 pm
Let’s not assume that global warming and its putative causes are solely responsible for AMOC variations. Solar and cosmic radiation, geomagnetic forces in flux are among other possible causes. Many of us feel this catastrophic change is imminent. And yes–Hollywood has given us a scenario that has touched a nerve for all of us in the NOrthern Hemisphere. Collect wool clothing and blankets, people.
@bostonrex3121
February 23, 2024 at 2:07 pm
The only solution is solar geoengineering, t’s too late for anything else. There is no way we are going to stop using fossil fuels or do anything substantial to stop warming up the planet. We have to block the sun and that is the only thing that can save us. Anyone who tells you about climate pledge or carbon neutrality, zero emissions, green this or green that or any of that crap is lying to you. We are doomed and we have no willingness to make drastic changes so it’s a losing battle. Solar geoengineering on the other hand is cheap and can lower earth’s temperature immediately. I’m sure there are negative effects but that the price we will have to pay; it’s not like we have plenty of options, time has run out already.
@timbookedtwo2375
February 23, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Maybe it’s the other way around. Ocean currents (partly) a cause of climate change?
@carltontweedle5724
February 23, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Well the UK will have a winter lasting a long time. Well the gas companies will put the prices up again.
@marktwain368
February 23, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Assuming natural gas is even available in the UK. That is questionable. Norway is the best ally in this scenario.
@phackqu
February 23, 2024 at 2:25 pm
The moon could be in different rotation, confusing the oceans… plus, our galaxy is merging with Andromeda. Plus… our current star is going through a solar maximum so who actually knows what to expect next
@Andrew-Kerr
February 23, 2024 at 7:45 pm
“The moon could be in a different rotation, confusing the oceans”
It isn’t.
“Plus our galaxy is merging with Andromeda”
Not for an extremely long time and has nothing to do with what’s happening now on Earth!
“Plus our current star is going through a solar minimum”
Also irrelevant.
“So who actually knows what to expect next”
Scientists.
@phackqu
February 23, 2024 at 7:55 pm
@@Andrew-Kerr dont worry. We will see
@Oi....
February 23, 2024 at 2:29 pm
The food chain will collapse much earlier than the AMOC shut down, so we don’t need to worry about that.
Just worry about not enough fish in the sea, droughts and floods that destroy arable land, and a collapse of Farming.
This will bring a severe Population “adjustment”.
@aaronjennings8385
February 23, 2024 at 2:51 pm
Mercifully few errors.
@pushlooop
February 23, 2024 at 3:26 pm
We still live during an ICE AGE, it means CO2 is irrelevant in warming the climate. just leave the climate alone and find a real job
@Brad-ih5zh
February 23, 2024 at 3:33 pm
Trump’s ignored the “climate change” when he was in the office
@kc10man
February 23, 2024 at 4:15 pm
OK so you are predicting an extra hundred degrees at the equator and minus that at the poles. So Musk and Bezos where kinda right, just the habitat will be here instead of there? Weird to smile while telling me my grandkids will live in a toaster oven.
@Jc-ms5vv
February 23, 2024 at 5:10 pm
Looking like we will all be living in a toaster oven sooner then later
@johnkane9841
February 23, 2024 at 4:59 pm
Couldn’t it just be a new ice age?
@marktwain368
February 23, 2024 at 6:31 pm
In fact, the last Ice Age is still ongoing. Look at Antarctica! Look at Greenland!
@hrvojeleko5847
February 23, 2024 at 5:36 pm
I always thought of farts as silent but deadly as a joke
@roberthicks5454
February 23, 2024 at 5:48 pm
They have been predicting that the ocean currents would be slowed since the 1960’s, yet nothing has happened. There was a report in the 1960’s that the oceans would stop by the 1980’s, causing a new ice age. Science can point to one time it has happened in the last 12000 years, called the Younger Dryas period. A massive ice dam burst sending as much fresh water into the Atlantic Ocean in one day as every river on the west coast dumps into the ocean in 100 years. The result was a 3°c drop in temperature that took 100 years to reach the bottom and then recovered in about the same time. Definitely not the sudden apocalypse the climate alarmist predict.
@rogerthat487
February 23, 2024 at 6:36 pm
Or is the ocean slow down changing climate as the first line of the intro would suggest? We are so locked into the Climate Change narrative that the real danger is something important is being overlooked
@misterfunnybones
February 23, 2024 at 7:50 pm
Because ice core samples confirm 1° of change every 1000 years, but since industrial revolution we’ve multiplied that by 10x. That’s not attributable to a Ocean-based line of causality. We have to support theories with facts & evidence, then run computer simulations based on the data.
@Starship007
February 23, 2024 at 8:08 pm
Our co2 level
Has almost doubled in little over one persons lifetime
@owainjohns2815
February 23, 2024 at 8:09 pm
Absent truthful details
@Starship007
February 23, 2024 at 8:14 pm
Do humans breathe faster due to increased co2?
@Starship007
February 23, 2024 at 8:24 pm
Great video. Thx
@Starship007
February 23, 2024 at 8:28 pm
The solution to pollution is dilution but now the ocean is polluted. Polluted with excess co2. Many 3rd world countries entering their Industrial Revolution. Population approaching 9 billion. Internal combustion engine not going anywhere is poorer nations. USA manufacturing moving from polluted China to pollute Vietnam, Thailand, Africa, and other nations with
LAX pollution laws.
@Starship007
February 23, 2024 at 8:29 pm
We all breathe the same air. We drink the same water. We share the same land
@ChinchillaBONK
February 24, 2024 at 8:26 am
BRAVO! THIS is a Ted Talk!
@phil20_20
February 24, 2024 at 8:52 am
I don’t always watch TED talks, but when I do, I complain in the comments. 🤪 Let’s not forget there’s lots of methane in all that ice.
@eliasbabich1938
February 24, 2024 at 10:34 am
Doesn’t matter how many charter jetliners holidays, the budget a d environment will balance itself😢
@tswift48
February 24, 2024 at 10:39 am
She talks heat, and humans cause it. But as a scientist she never mentions that Big white ball we call the Sun and or the weaking of the magnetic field which in turns allows more rays that cause more heating. As calm as her voice is, she is nothing more than a propogandist spread misinformation than truth, she gets a Negative!
@brewted
February 24, 2024 at 11:21 am
Dont look up!
@kinngrimm
February 24, 2024 at 12:18 pm
militaries world wide: “all hands on deck … sure sure, but you can’t have my Co2 exhaust data, others may use it to calculate our fuel consumption and that is against national security”
@michellelester243
February 24, 2024 at 12:50 pm
Oh SNAP!
@terrymcbride1962
February 24, 2024 at 4:29 pm
Please, please remember that the earth was a balanced eco system until we started destroying the eco systems 2000 years ago. more so in the last 250 years. things we can do RIGHT NOW are paint your roof white with highly reflective white paint. Thats every roof in the world. Paint medium strips white. each adult to plant 5000 trees per year or your tax rates goes to 50%. each company must plant 50,000 trees per year or your tax rate goes to 60%. plant trees along east west facing roads to shade them. plant trees in cities. Create giant seaweed farms, regreen deserts, there is pumped hydro, Concentrated solar thermal, riding bikes, walking, grow your own food, protest, write to your local member of government, make science compulsory in all schools, stop all new coal and gas projects. Stop watching the media they are lying to you. its all possible you just have to stop playing the VICTIUM to corporate greed. thats 1% of people you curtailing too. there is more of us than there is of them. Grow up.
@arthurzettel6618
February 24, 2024 at 10:11 pm
She didn’t mention the fact that the Earth has lost 30% percent of its Magnetosphere, Pole shifting, underwater Volcanism, and how the Earth’s core is responsible for the warm and cold underwater conveyor that water circulation going. In the end, everyone on the planet is along for the ride. The question is : How many will survive ?
@yousifatobiya7279
February 24, 2024 at 10:37 pm
Abstract :
The energy that dominates the earth is very great, some of it is natural, like the heat of the sun and volcanoes, and some of it is human action, by cutting down trees, without replacing them and cultivating in their place…
There are five forces that control or dominate the planet…
1- The first theory (horizontal dynamic movement) and its end…
The occurrence of storms, rain, floods and snow, at unexpected times and places, is because of the expiration of this theory, which needs to be balanced…
2- The second theory (vertical dynamic movement) and its end…
This movement or force controls or dominates the earthquakes, earth cracks, drying up of rivers and lakes, earth openings, mountain collapses, and the emergence of drinking water springs on the ground…
It becomes out of control…
These phenomena increased due to the end of this theory…
The third theory: it is water that rotates the earth…
The fourth theory: the Earth’s axis of rotation has tilted 2° degrees…
The fifth theory: The Earth has a new orbit…
These studies had completed and sent on July 26th 2000
YOUSIF A TOBIYA
@yousifatobiya7279
February 24, 2024 at 10:37 pm
The occurrence of stoms,rains,ice, and floods at times and in unexpected places,confirms my theory the end of the (dynamic horizontal movement )which needs to balance and it sill under control to balance…
But about earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, tsunami, dry lakes and rivers, flow of water from the mountains and hills,explodeand of eyes water from the ground, formation of new mountains or islands, collaps of mountains ,and cracks on ground,& ,& ,&,they are out of control or balance…
Note :The earth will become like Venus…
Yousif A Tobiya
@terryscfleet5059
February 25, 2024 at 4:49 am
why don’t you tell them to stop the bombs
@jakobusphsteyn3500
February 25, 2024 at 7:50 am
I wonder about these climate models that is the projections these climate scaremongers use. They have no real scientific base as they are all mostly in lockstep with one another, thus consensus which is the biggest destroyer of scientific endeavor. Also wonder about the reverse of the current warming period. As recent as the 1970’s, we were according to this type of another type of scientist going into a new ice age, must say the compress epochs into a couple of decades. Must be the new generations fed by TV that need an immediate fix to be able to operate. The planetary cycles work on a planetary time scale that seemingly very few humans have a concept of. About a hundred years ago average lifespan was +/- 40 years now in the region of about 70 years thanks to CO2 producing fuels, as do all fuels. This soothing story is even a bad bedtime story.
@mollymclean-xj3qd
February 25, 2024 at 9:36 am
9 years
@orlandomontfort5101
February 25, 2024 at 9:40 am
Baseless fear mongering…
@t.tenney3470
February 25, 2024 at 9:50 am
This is a problem of inequality. The weathy few willing to destroy us all for wealth.
@anthonymorris5084
February 25, 2024 at 2:35 pm
And exactly how and why are the wealthy few “destroying” you? You understand that a person got wealthy by creating YouTube for you and the device you’re using to post, right? If there is “destruction” you are willfully participating by buying these products and making these people wealthy. Connect the dots.
@tizzer3138
February 25, 2024 at 10:55 am
I always enjoy seeing the charts. The years we have monitored and have data on are always smooth or nothing crazy but as soon as it gets to the future that we have to predict things go absolutely haywire 😂
@Ailisch007
February 25, 2024 at 11:32 am
Very easy to listen to hear. I wish more people are able to talk like her. Enables u to stay focused to the dot.
@anthonymorris5084
February 25, 2024 at 2:31 pm
Why do climate zealots, without question, always equate change with something catastrophic? Is it because the goal from the beginning is to induce fear?
@grindupBaker
February 25, 2024 at 8:21 pm
No, for this is that’s WG2 indicates that the AMOC stopping might reduce the monsoon rains that provide water for a couple billion people. It’s mostly that. The cooling of Europe & Scandinavia is minor, they can deal with that, I’m Canadian eh.
@anthonymorris5084
February 25, 2024 at 8:35 pm
@@grindupBaker The endless climate mantra – “might”.
Monsoon rains bring positives and negatives there is nothing catastrophic occurring. In fact, monsoon rains can be quite destructive, so this is about taking the position that suits the given narrative.
Billions of people don’t even endure monsoon rains and life is fine. Changes in ocean currents are imperceptible without scientific instruments.
@grindupBaker
February 26, 2024 at 9:58 am
@@anthonymorris5084 “Changes in ocean currents are imperceptible without scientific instruments” == irrelevant
@sumsara9255
February 25, 2024 at 3:14 pm
That was terrible
@sumsara9255
February 25, 2024 at 3:19 pm
My apologies, it was worse than terrible, I cannot even finsih
@BrentHollett
February 25, 2024 at 5:50 pm
The major problem I have with these speeches is always the ending.
“We need to all work together”
“All hands on board.”
“We’re running out of time.”
The average person has no _meaningful_ way to effect change in that timespan. All it does is generate a level of guilt we’re not actually responsible for, because while we might want to do better, things like zero non-plastic options for food purchases, no control over the sale of EVs which are far too expensive for the average person to buy etc, mean that the only meaningful change in a 9 year timeline is industry and commercial organizations.
Yelling at bought and paid politicians isn’t going to work because they’re so focused on generating ideological wedge issues for reelection, so that they don’t have to deal with these problems.
So I’d love a TED talk on _meaningful_ ways that the average person can effect change within 9 years, or we’re just doom scrolling to the end.
@mikestaub
February 25, 2024 at 6:41 pm
We are so screwed.
@oksobasicallyimmonky
February 25, 2024 at 6:46 pm
She should do voice work for video games
@pbreedu
February 25, 2024 at 8:08 pm
Antarctica used to be as warm as present-day Italy, as indicated by the fossil record. The climate has been changing throughout Earth’s history. Humans are more adaptable than ever to climate change, thanks to air conditioning, heating, and new agricultural technologies, including but not limited to genetic engineering.
When it comes to our oceans, I am much more concerned about other terrorist groups emulating the Houthis and attacking merchant shipping. Houthi attacks pose a genuine economic and ecological emergency.
@grindupBaker
February 26, 2024 at 9:57 am
“Antarctica used to be as warm as present-day Italy”. The Earth used to be non existent.
@saintpreferred9223
February 26, 2024 at 3:08 am
More climate change nonsense, brought to you by the Democratic Party….
@ashleycantrell9844
February 26, 2024 at 10:46 am
😂😂😂😂😂
@saintpreferred9223
February 26, 2024 at 3:09 am
Everybody in the room is a Dem…
@aaronkennedy8506
February 26, 2024 at 11:25 am
collectively working together is something that died afterWW2 with the invention of the atomic bomb. Our world became collectively divided by fear of another nations power.
@wallyt1727
February 26, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Previous ice ages only took years, why should now be any different?
@RPclone
February 26, 2024 at 2:35 pm
Remind you, The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 film.
@kimlibera663
February 26, 2024 at 5:30 pm
Shall I go tell the king Henny Penny. Actually they can take the carbon from the carbon capture stuff & make it into quiklime & alkalinize the ocean.
@nicoctane1669
February 27, 2024 at 2:44 am
Don’t believe that 2100 comment. Every few years they come back saying things are happening faster than predicted.
@scomo532
February 27, 2024 at 3:35 am
More bullshit science
@Owl350
February 27, 2024 at 2:36 pm
Climate change is killing everything extremely fast in the background so how could this matter !