Ocean heat reaches new high
The Copernicus Climate Change Service announced that the daily global sea surface temperature has climbed to its highest level since records began. The reading beats the previous mark set last year. Scientists said the ocean is absorbing more than 90 percent of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases, and that heat is now showing up in the surface water.
El Niño adds fuel
Researchers said El Niño conditions helped push temperatures higher on top of the long-term warming trend. El Niño is a natural climate pattern that releases heat from the deep ocean into the atmosphere. When it combines with human-caused warming, the result is extreme ocean heat. The current record comes after months of unusually warm water across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
What warmer seas mean
Warmer oceans have far-reaching effects. They fuel stronger hurricanes and typhoons, which draw energy from warm surface water. They stress coral reefs, which bleach and die when water gets too hot. They disrupt fish stocks that millions of people depend on for food. And they speed up the melting of polar ice, which raises sea levels. Coastal communities are already feeling the effects, from heavier storm surges to failing fisheries.
Scientists said the new record is another sign that the planet's heat is building faster than expected. The warmest ocean years on record have all occurred in the past decade, according to Copernicus data. Researchers called for faster cuts in emissions to slow the pace of ocean warming and give marine ecosystems a chance to adapt.