2023 record-high ocean temperatures could become the norm if we move to a climate 3.0°C warmer than pre-industrial levels. From March 2023, the North Atlantic began to show extremely warm temperatures far exceeding anything seen in the past 40 years. As of August 2023, it was about 1.4°C warmer than the 1982-2011 average, with the planet currently absorbing more than 1.9 watts per square meter more solar energy than radiated back to space as heat. Across Earth, over a one-year time span, it’s equivalent to roughly 300 times the global annual electric energy consumption. This imbalance has grown fast over recent decades. The increasing energy surplus is propelling ocean warming, with more than 90% of the excess energy accumulated by Earth funneled into the oceans.
Climate Crisis Blog
