Verdict: A giant dam could potentially prevent the disaster, but under certain conditions. If the meridional overturning circulation of the Atlantic experiences only a slight slowdown, then closing the Bering Strait could indeed support the AMOC and allow it to continue functioning despite climate change. However, if the ocean current system is already significantly weakened, closing the passage between the Pacific and the Arctic would only accelerate the ongoing collapse process. In other words, timing is crucial: in order to ensure the effectiveness of the dam, it would need to be built before 2050, according to the authors.
But is such a significant infrastructure technically feasible? On paper, researchers believe it is. The presence of two small reefs in the middle of the strait would allow the structure to be divided into two sections, with a maximum depth of about 59 meters. Significant constraints, but not insurmountable: for comparison, the Saemangeum dike in South Korea stretches for 33 kilometers with a depth reaching 54 meters. The main challenge is that these dams would need to be built in a remote region, subject to ice and geopolitical tensions – the Bering Strait being a strategic point for accessing the Arctic.
