Scientists at the University of Reading have found that the global mean sea surface temperature is rising 400 percent faster than it was in the late 1980s. The rate of warming is alarming and has surpassed previous expectations. If greenhouse emissions are not mitigated, the ocean is expected to continue warming at an accelerated pace, potentially exceeding the last 40 years’ worth of warming in less than 20 years.
According to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters, the ocean’s temperature increased from approximately 0.06 degrees Celsius per decade in the late 1980s to 0.27 degrees Celsius per decade in recent years. This represents an increase of nearly four times the previous rate.
The researchers used satellite observations and statistical models to analyze climate variability and found that the ocean’s warming is largely driven by Earth’s energy imbalance, which occurs when more energy from the Sun is absorbed than is released back into space due to rising carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas levels.
Without mitigation of greenhouse emissions, the ocean’s temperature is expected to continue increasing at a faster rate. In fact, recent history shows that the ocean has already hit record high temperatures for 450 days straight in 2023-2024, with nearly half of this warming attributed to the steadily increasing ocean water temperatures.
The study highlights the importance of limiting fossil-fuel burning and taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safeguard a healthy planet for future generations. Scientists warn that relying on past decades as a predictor for future climate behavior is no longer reliable due to the accelerating rate of global warming.
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a63612575/warming-ocean-temperatures