With a shutdown or slowdown of the oceanic thermohalinecirculation, which acts as a conveyor belt that transportswarmer waters northwards to the maritime regions of Western Europe, many parts of Europe could face abrupt decreases intemperature, with potentially serious social and economicconsequences. What do we know about the potential impacts and society’s vulnerability to them, how can we best prepare, and what is the cost of action likely to be? How well prepared are we for abrupt and extreme climate change? This paper reflects on five essays, each looking at the issue through a different lens: legal, institutional, sectoral, multi-sectoral, and economic.