Do the Suez and Panama canals have any impact on world temperature and weather cycles?

Question

I have read that the Panama Isthmus emerged several million years ago linking North and South America. A knock-on effect was that the world's oceans now exchanged more water around the poles than at the equater thus lowering world temperatures and creating less precipitation (warm air holds more moisture) which in turn lead to a reduction in the size of tropical forestation which, it is theorised, prompted our ancestors to come down from the trees.

Since the construction of the canals, has the, albeit slender, exchange of water between the Med and Red Sea and between the Carribean and Pacific had any effect on global temperature? Might it even contribute to global warming?

Answer 1

Good question, but a bit misleading. As alluded to in previous answers, the Panama canal is fed by fresh water, and there is no possible movement of sea water as the canal rises some sifnificant way above sea level. Before the isthmus, the expanse of sea free to move was vast. These two cannot be compared.
In the case of the Suez, the linked seas are relatively enclosed and there is limited movement of water between them and the open oceans. Although it is at sea level, the quantity of water moving through is minimal thus the effect of water itself is negligable. Also as the water temperature is similar, that has no effect either.
So, no, I very much doubt it at a local level, let alone at a global one. And the only impact on global warming is from the sea traffic using them (though remember that will be less than if they had to make the alternative detour - so the canals in effect reduce the contribution to global warming!)

Answer 2

Suez Canal Weather

Answer 3

It is impossible to say that either canal has zero affect. However, the Panama canal feeds water from a landlocked (jungle?) lake in both directions and is the highpoint of the transit (ships cross the lake). Without a canal, the lake would have to flow to the sea by one or two rivers. The canal may change the division of the water but would be like a drop of fresh water in the oceans.

The Suez canal would be like laying a wet rope across a desert and should have nil effect, probably less effect than the air pollution from oil-burning ships that make the transit.

Tectonic movement of the continents likely had a huge effect on ocean currents that redistribute the solar energy captured on land (in rain and rivers) and at sea.

Answer 4

I am sorry that I don't know the answer - but when we were in Australia a number of years ago I noticed that there were a lot of new homes being built on waterfronts that did not naturally exist. Now, Australia claims to be a very green country - but with doing these coastline 'marina's will they in fact change the tides?

Since Australia always tell us about their concern for the Ozone layer (which they don't have anymore), could this be a contribution to the reason?

We talk about green house gases - but I really doubt that we can make that much impact on the environment from that way. We are, by changing waterways, no matter how small, creating a micro-climate - and therefore changing the worlds climate.

And anyway, have you considered that there has always been global warming and cooling? Ice ages come and go - and I don't think that there is a tad that we can really do about it!

Answer 5

I don't think as they water used to control the panama channel is coming from lagoons and rivers, there is not water taken from one ocean to get to the other ocean at all

Answer 6

If you are particularly bothered why don,t you fill in the canals.It will keep you busy and its honest work.