In a concerning trend, the world's oceans reached unprecedented temperatures in February, driven by the combined effects of relentless carbon emissions and the El Niño weather phenomenon, scientists report.
Covering 70 percent of our planet, the oceans play a crucial role in maintaining Earth's livability by absorbing around 90 percent of the excess heat generated by human-induced carbon pollution since the industrial age began.
For nearly a decade, ocean temperatures have been on the rise, but last year marked a significant milestone as sea temperatures soared to levels scientists described as \"off the charts.\" This surge was a direct consequence of long-term climate change coupled with the short-term warming impact of El Niño.
The trend continued into 2024, with February recording average sea surface temperatures of 21.06 degrees Celsius—the highest ever for any month—according to data released Thursday by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Globally, February was the hottest on record, making it the ninth consecutive month to break temperature records, C3S highlighted.
Copernicus' extensive dataset, which stretches back to the 1940s, offers a stark reminder of the unprecedented climate challenges we face. Carlo Buontempo, director of C3S, emphasized that considering historical temperatures, \"our civilization has never had to cope with this climate.\"
Buontempo further noted that the elevated heat levels in the upper oceans are \"remarkable,\" underscoring the oceans' role in absorbing the additional energy and carbon injected into the climate system by human activities.
Scientists have highlighted that numerous climate-related records were shattered over the past year, with ocean temperatures seeing particularly significant increases.
Reference(s):
Carbon emissions and El Niño push oceans to record temperatures
cgtn.com
