The oceans have been much warmer than average for the past two years, and the planet just set another global heat record. What’s going on?
This past year, 2024, was the warmest ever measured for the global ocean, following a record-breaking 2023. In fact, every decade since 1984, when satellite recordkeeping of ocean temperatures started, has been warmer than the previous one.
Climate change, by and large, takes the blame. Greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere trap heat, and about 90% of the excess heat caused by emissions from burning fossil fuels and other human activities is absorbed by the ocean. During El Niño periods, warm waters that usually accumulate in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean move eastward toward the coastlines of Peru and Chile, leaving the Earth slightly warmer overall. The latest El Niño began in 2023 and caused global average temperatures to rise well into early 2024.
The role of aerosols An intriguing idea, tested using climate models, is that a swift reduction in aerosols over the past decade may be one of the culprits.
Coral Reefs El Nino El Niño Southern Oscillation Extreme Heat Extreme Weather Global Warming Hurricanes Ocean Heating Oceans Temperature
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