The world’s oceans are hotter than ever before, continuing their record-breaking temperature streak for the sixth straight year. The finding, authored by 23 researchers at 14 institutes, was published on January 11, 2022 in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. It summarizes two international datasets: from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They both analyze observations of ocean heat content and their impact dating from the 1950s.

According to Cheng Lijing, lead paper author and associate professor with CAS’s IAP, the regional analyses show that the robust and significant ocean warming since the late 1950s has occurred everywhere. As oceans warm, the water expands and sea levels rise. Warmer oceans also supercharge weather systems, creating more powerful storms and hurricanes, as well as increasing precipitation and flood risks. “The oceans are absorbing most of the heating from human carbon emissions,” said paper author Michael Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Pennsylvania State University. “Until we reach net zero emissions, that heating will continue, and we’ll continue to break ocean heat content records, as we did this year. Better awareness and understanding of the oceans is a basis for actions to combat climate change.”

Source: Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP),

Chinese Academy of Sciences