Researchers say a record-breaking surge in ocean temperatures is a sign that climate change has accelerated at an alarming rate. Global ocean temperatures reached unprecedented highs for 450 days straight in 2023 and early 2024, with about 44% of the warmth attributed to the oceans absorbing heat from the sun.
Satellite data analysis by Chris Merchant and his team found that the rate of warming has more than quadrupled since 1985. The team attributes this rapid acceleration to a sharp change in Earth’s energy imbalance, which has roughly doubled since 2010. As a result, the oceans are soaking up significantly more heat now than they used to.
“The oceans set the pace for global warming in general,” says Merchant. “So, as an extension, global warming as a whole, including the land, has therefore accelerated.” Merchant predicts that ocean warming could continue to increase rapidly in the coming decades, with the rate of warming potentially matching or exceeding previous 40-year periods.
However, early data suggests that Earth’s energy imbalance may have dropped in 2024 after a record spike in 2023. This might indicate that warming rates are not accelerating as rapidly as worst-case scenario predictions suggest.
The findings provide valuable insights into the pace of climate change and its impact on global temperatures. As researchers continue to monitor and analyze this trend, it remains essential to understand the causes and consequences of this phenomenon to develop effective strategies for mitigating its effects.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2465689-surge-in-ocean-heat-is-a-sign-climate-change-is-accelerating