Trump Administration Dismantles Ocean Monitoring System Tracking Atlantic Currents at Risk of Collapse

Summary

The Trump administration is dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a system of over 900 ocean instruments in the Pacific and Atlantic that tracks critical ocean currents, including the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which is at risk of collapse due to climate change. Scientists warn that removing these instruments will create dangerous blind spots in monitoring ocean health and climate patterns, potentially leaving the U.S. unprepared for climate-related disasters. The decision is part of broader cuts to climate and environmental monitoring programs.