The ocean temperature reached critical levels in 2024. With a new historical record in March of last year, it reached 21.07 degrees.
This increase added to a series of rises recorded since May 2023, when the warm El Niño current developed in the Pacific Ocean, as confirmed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) of the European Union.
These unprecedented values occurred for 15 consecutive months. What consequences does this anomaly bring to the planet.
Ocean Temperature: values reached in 2024
The consequences of the increase in ocean temperature.
The sea surface temperature (SST) set a new historical record in March 2024, reaching 21.07 degrees.
The Copernicus report indicated that the last El Niño episode, which lasted from May 2023 to mid-2024, was weaker in its development than previous ones, but its effects were significant.
In 2024, the annual average SST was 20.87 degrees, representing an increase of 0.51 degrees compared to the 1991-2020 average. This level exceeded the previous records of 2023 and 2016.
Thus, 2024 became the year with the highest sea temperature ever recorded.
Where were the anomalies detected?
Thermal anomalies were detected in more than a quarter of the global ocean and particularly affected tropical areas of the Atlantic, vast regions of the Indian Ocean, and areas of the western Pacific.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Norwegian Sea, historical highs were also recorded.
Scientists warned that, even though the El Niño episode has ended, ocean warming trends will continue if measures are not implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Record ocean temperatures
The persistence of high temperatures could trigger extreme events with long-term consequences for the global climate.
Consequences of the rise in ocean temperatures
Initially, these temperature changes ultimately cause a “lasting effect” on marine biodiversity and on the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities, as warned by the UN.
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Polar ice melting: ocean warming causes polar ice melting and sea level rise.
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Marine heatwaves
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Ocean acidification: acidification makes water more acidic, damaging marine life.
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Loss of marine biodiversity
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Alteration of ocean currents: affecting migratory patterns of marine species.
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Extreme weather events: such as droughts, floods, and more intense storms.
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Coral bleaching: the loss of coloration is due to the coral, to survive in high temperatures, expelling a microscopic algae called zooxanthellae and, if high temperatures persist, loses color and dies.
