The World's Oceans Are Warmer Than Ever Before
The sea surface reached a record of about 21 degrees Celsius — and that changes life for corals, fish and people
The oceans are very warm right now. They are warmer than ever before. Scientists measured the water all around the world. The average was about 21 degrees Celsius. That is a new record.
Why is this happening? Our planet is getting warmer because of climate change. This year there is also El Niño. El Niño is a time of warm water in the Pacific Ocean. Together they make the sea very warm.
Warm water is a problem for sea animals. Corals turn white and get sick. This is called bleaching. Many fish swim away to cooler water. Then people catch less fish.
Warm water also gives storms more power. Big storms start over warm oceans. Warmer water can make them stronger.
The oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth. They give us food. They make our weather. So warm oceans change life for everyone, also far from the sea.
But there is hope. We can use less energy. We can protect parts of the sea. Scientists watch the oceans every day and help us understand them.
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Record Heat in the Oceans: What Warmer Water Means for Us All
A record sea temperature of about 21 degrees Celsius is bad news for corals and fish — and it can make storms stronger
The world's oceans have never been as warm as they are now. Scientists who measure the sea surface around the planet report a record daily average of about 21 degrees Celsius. The news was reported by the Associated Press and other media.
Two things are coming together. The Earth is slowly getting warmer because of human-caused climate change, and this year a strong El Niño is developing. El Niño is a natural weather pattern that warms the Pacific Ocean every few years. When it arrives on top of climate change, temperatures jump to new records.
For sea life, the heat is dangerous. When water stays too warm for too long, corals turn white — scientists call it bleaching — and can get sick. Coral reefs are home to thousands of species, so when reefs suffer, many fish lose their home. Other fish simply swim away to cooler water, which means fishing communities catch less.
Warm oceans also feed storms. Hurricanes and typhoons get their energy from warm surface water, so a warmer sea can make big storms stronger and wetter. People who live near the coast feel these changes first.
Why does this matter to everyone? The oceans cover about 70 percent of our planet and produce much of the food and even the oxygen we depend on. When the sea changes, the weather, the food on our plates and the price of fish change too.
Scientists say the most important step is to use less coal, oil and gas, so the planet stops getting warmer. Protected sea areas also help, because healthy reefs and fish can survive heat better. And everyone can help a little — by saving energy at home, walking and cycling more, and learning about the ocean.
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World's Oceans Hit Record-High Temperatures as El Niño Builds
A record daily average of just over 21 degrees Celsius, driven by climate change plus El Niño, threatens coral reefs, fisheries and coastal communities — and gives storms extra fuel
The surface of the world's oceans has reached its highest temperature ever recorded, with a global daily average of just over 21 degrees Celsius, according to climate monitoring data reported by the Associated Press and other news organisations. Scientists describe the reading as a warning sign for the health of the whole planet.
The record is the result of two forces working together. Human-caused climate change has been heating the oceans for decades — the seas have absorbed about 90 percent of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases. On top of that long-term trend, a strong El Niño is developing in the Pacific. El Niño is a natural pattern that appears every few years and temporarily warms huge areas of the ocean, pushing global temperatures to new peaks.
The clearest victims of marine heat are coral reefs. When water stays unusually warm for weeks, corals expel the tiny algae that feed them and give them colour, turning ghostly white — a process called bleaching. Bleached corals are not gone, but they are weak, and repeated heatwaves can destroy a reef that took centuries to grow. Because reefs shelter about a quarter of all marine species, the damage spreads through the whole food chain.
Fish feel the heat too, and many respond by moving towards cooler water nearer the poles. That matters for people: billions of people around the world rely on the sea for a large part of their protein, and fishing communities from West Africa to Southeast Asia depend on catches that may shrink or move away. Scientists also warn that warmer surface water provides extra energy for hurricanes and typhoons, which can make the strongest storms more intense and rainier — hard news for coastal communities already dealing with rising seas.
The oceans cover about 70 percent of the Earth, produce a large share of the oxygen we breathe and store enormous amounts of carbon, so a record-warm ocean is not only a problem for divers and fishers. It slowly reshapes weather patterns, food prices and coastlines everywhere.
Researchers stress that the trend, not one hot day, is the real story — and that the trend can still be bent. Burning less coal, oil and gas would slow the warming; marine protected areas give reefs and fish a better chance to recover; and accurate daily measurements, from satellites and thousands of ocean buoys, help the world see clearly what is happening. As one climate scientist put it, the ocean has been protecting us for decades by soaking up heat. Now, they argue, it is our turn to protect the ocean.
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