Climate change-instigated ocean surface temperatures hit record high

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
5 Aug 2023 00:09

The Guardian reports on how burning fossil fuels affected the average daily surface temperature of the world's oceans, which is expected to continue to increase as a result of climate change.

A 5-year-old boy swims with his dad and cousin at Crandon Park Beach on July 28, 2023 (AP)

According to The Guardian's Friday story, which cited the European Union's Copernicus climate change service, the average daily surface temperature of the world's oceans reached a record high this week and is expected to continue to increase as a result of climate change brought on by burning fossil fuels.

The global average daily sea surface temperature broke the previous record of 20.95 degrees set in 2016, according to the newspaper, which also noted that the temperatures are anticipated to rise further because March is typically when the oceans are at their hottest.

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"The fact that we've seen the record now makes me nervous about how much warmer the ocean may get between now and next March," Dr. Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Copernicus was quoted as saying.

While the continuing El Nino weather phenomenon may have contributed to some of the high surface temperatures, the climate change brought on by the high CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels also has a part to play.

"The more we burn fossil fuels, the more excess heat will be taken out by the oceans, which means the longer it will take to stabilize them and get them back to where they were," Burgess said.

The Guardian noted that over the past 40 years, the average surface sea temperature has increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius. Warming oceans are worse at regulating the climate and have less ability to absorb carbon dioxide, which exacerbates the greenhouse effect as there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result.

The World Meteorological Organization issued a warning in July, noting that the first El Nino weather phenomenon formed in the tropical Pacific in seven years could result in higher global temperatures, as well as destructive weather and climatic patterns.