Great simplification pulsing lines

Ep 124  |  Levke Caesar

Levke Caesar: “Oceanic Slowdown: Decoding the AMOC”

Check out this podcast

TGS124 Levke Caesar The Great Simplification

Show Summary

On this episode, Nate is joined by climate physicist Levke Caesar for a comprehensive overview of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its connections to broader planetary systems. Amid a complex and heavily interconnected climate system, the AMOC is a powerful force for regulating temperature between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres along the Atlantic Ocean – yet it’s estimated to have slowed down by about 15% over the last few decades. What are the possible domino effects of this slowing oceanic powerhouse at a regional and global scale? How well do we understand what drives the AMOC, its cyclical patterns, and connections with other currents? More importantly, how does the AMOC interact with other biospheric mechanisms that have shaped our stable, life-supporting planetary home?

About Levke Caesar

Levke Caesar is a climate physicist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, mainly known for her studies on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its pivotal role in the climate system. Her research primarily focuses on the past, present, and future evolution of the AMOC and its intricate interactions within the North Atlantic region. Caesar’s seminal work on the historical evolution of the AMOC has been featured in prestigious journals such as Nature and Nature Geoscience, garnering hundreds of citations. Since October 2023, she has assumed the role of scientific lead for the newly launched Planetary Boundary Science Initiative (PBScience) at PIK.

In French, we have a motto that says that a simple drawing is often better than a long explanation. Jean-Marc Jancovici Carbone 4 President

That’s very understandable because with left atmosphere thinking, one of the problems is that you see everything as a series of problems that must have solutions. Iain McGilchrist Neuroscientist and Philosopher

We can’t have hundreds and hundreds of real relationships that are healthy because that requires time and effort and full attention and awareness of being in real relationship and conversation with the other human. Nate Hagens Director of ISEOF

This is the crux of the whole problem. Individual parts of nature are more valuable than the biocomplexity of nature. Thomas Crowther Founder Restor

Show Notes & Links to Learn More

00:00 – Levke Caesar, Potsdam Institute

SLIDES USED IN THIS EPISODE

What is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation?

04:27 – What are ocean currents? 

05:40 – What drives the AMOC*

07:39 – Paleoclimatology of the AMOC
08:00 – Warning of a forthcoming collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

08:27 – Henry Stommel

11:07 – AMOC slow down

13:26 – The AMOC engine is strongest in the winter

15:44 – The Ocean and the water cycle

16:25 – How we’re changing ocean salinity

17:50 – Greenland Ice sheet melting

18:13 – Ocean Stratification

18:36 – Aerosol Forcing, TGS Episode

18:55 – Aerosol forcing and the AMOC

20:25 – Potential for an AMOC collapse

21:53 – Climate Change scenarios

25:05 – How the jet stream affects weather patterns

25:18 – How AMOC and the jet stream interact

27:23 – Ocean has absorbed 90% of excess heat

31:28 – Other ocean currents

31:38 – Peter Ward, Under a Green Sky, Canfield Ocean + TGS Episode

35:22 – Oceans will eventually outgas carbon and heat

38:05 – Increase in winter storms over Europe with AMOC slowdown

38:45 – AMOC slowdown would mean sea level rise for the US

39:18 – Coriolis Effect

41:11 – The Day After Tomorrow

49:49 – First measurements of the AMOC

51:51 – 2004 continuous measurements of the AMOC, RAPID AMOC

52:54 – AMOC and the Gulf Stream

56:13 – How Climate Change affects wind patterns

56:55 – AMOC domino effect

58:33 – Twilight Zone

1:06:21 – Planetary Boundaries

1:06:48 – Most impactful climate actions for individuals

1:11:20 – Geoengineering doesn’t seem promising

1:13:42 – Plant-based diet and health, The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health

1:14:24 – India planning to double coal production

Download transcript
Back to episodes
Nothing Can Stop This TrainWith Lyn AldenThe Great SimplificationEp 188 | Lyn Alden

Money, debt, and finance shape the lives of everyone globally, including through the policies and actions of national central banks – yet even those who are well-versed in these subjects often miss the full scope of these intricate relationships. For the average person, headlines about mounting government debt and surging interest rates often feel like a confusing and concerning trend. What can we learn from historical cycles, global energy dynamics, and the differing fiscal strategies of nations about the trajectory of the world economy?

Watch nowJul 30, 2025
Towards Individual Wisdom & RestraintWith Nate HagensThe Great SimplificationEp 187 | Nate Hagens

In this Earth Day presentation, recorded earlier this year, Nate offers nine broad paths for individuals to cultivate resilience in an increasingly uncertain and unstable period of human history. From the intellectual & ecological to the spiritual & psychological, these ideas might be considered waypoints for navigating the human predicament, and -in aggregate - help build 'scout teams' of humans working on the upcoming cultural transition away from infinite material expansion.

Watch nowJul 25, 2025
The Packaging RevolutionWith Wes CarterThe Great SimplificationEp 186 | Wes Carter

Packaging is an unavoidable feature of modern life. It’s so embedded in our products and systems that even the most environmentally-minded consumers struggle to avoid it entirely. Yet packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste, contributing to widespread ecological harm and growing threats to human health – highlighting the urgent need for an overhaul of packaging materials and industry practices. So how are some industry leaders reimagining materials, systems, and supply chains in ways that align with the realities of our finite planet?

Watch nowJul 23, 2025

Subscribe to our Substack

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future (ISEOF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, founded in 2008, that conducts research and educates the public about energy issues and their impact on society.

Support our work
Get in touch
x