The dire consequences of the world's 'relentless' warming oceans
'The state of our oceans can measure the world's health,' a new study says — and 'we need a doctor'
New research has found that oceans hit record temperatures in 2022, making this the fourth record-breaking year in a row. The "relentless warming" could have dire ecological consequences. Here's everything you need to know:
How are the oceans doing?
Not great. "The state of our oceans can measure the world's health, and judging by the updated oceanic observations … we need a doctor," wrote the researchers of a recent study on oceanic warming, published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
Ocean temperatures are of high interest to scientists because they are a better indicator than other environmental indicators of the state of climate change due to the fact that, unlike the air and atmosphere, oceans are less susceptible to weather and seasonal changes, CNN explains.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Why are oceans warming?
The oceans are warming as a direct result of man-made climate change. In fact, the planet's seas have absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases since the 1970s, explains The Guardian.
"Oceans contain an enormous amount of water, and compared to other substances, it takes a lot of heat to change the temperature of water," Linda Rasmussen, a retired researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told The Washington Post. But "the Earth's energy and water cycles have been profoundly altered due to the emission of greenhouse gases by human activities, driving pervasive changes in Earth's climate system," said the scientists who worked on the new analysis. One of the report's authors, Michael Mann, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, added that "until we reach net zero emissions, that heating will continue, and we'll continue to break ocean heat content records."
What does a warmer ocean mean for marine life?
Warmer oceans can lead to cascading problems, ranging from extinction events to infrastructure damage. Notably, warmer water has a lower oxygen content, which is harmful to the marine ecosystem and the fishing community. Warming can also cause some ocean regions to have more salt than others: When the warm water evaporates, it leaves more salt, and when it rains in other regions, that water becomes fresher. The study calls this phenomenon the "salty gets saltier — fresh gets fresher" pattern.
"Great power brings great responsibility," Curtis Deutsch, a professor of geosciences at Princeton University, told The New York Times after publishing his own research on the link between climate change and marine life in 2022. "And we're learning about our power, but not about our responsibility — to future generations of people, but also to all the other life that we've shared the planet with for millions of years."
What's more, "some of the most productive and biodiverse marine ecosystems, like coral reefs and kelp forests, are very sensitive to temperature," explains Rasmussen. Coral reefs in particular can become "bleached," meaning that the "corals will expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white," according to the National Ocean Service. Corals can survive bleaching but with the current warming trend, it is harder for the coral to adapt.
What does a warmer ocean mean for humans?
Another consequence of warmer oceans is rising sea levels, which threaten coastal towns and islands. This is due to heat causing water particles to move further apart, resulting in expansion. Certain towns in Florida have already been pinpointed as at-risk areas for becoming over-flooded in the coming years.
Ocean surface warmth also exacerbates storms and extreme weather, meaning that as the water temperatures increase, the planet can anticipate more intense storms. This can lead to "greater and more rapid intensification of hurricanes ... since the winds no longer churn up cold sub-surface water that would otherwise dampen intensification," Mann says.
"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," Mann explains. The consequences will only get worse as the temperatures rise, however, scientists say the heating "probably is irreversible through 2100."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
5 blustery cartoons about the Stormy Daniels testimony
Cartoons Artists take on gag orders, lurid details, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Idea of You review: 'impossible escapism' starring Anne Hathaway
The Week Recommends Steamy romcom about a 40-year-old who falls for a boy band singer
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: May 11, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Inside Siberia's 'megaslump' – and why it is getting bigger
Under The Radar The 'eerie sinkhole' is rapidly expanding and climate change is the reason why
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Orangutan heals cut with medicinal plant
Speed Read A Sumatran orangutan in Indonesia has been self-medicating to heal a wound on his cheek
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What is NASA working on?
In Depth A running list of the space agency's most exciting developments
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Climate change is driving Indian women to choose sterilization
under the radar Faced with losing their jobs, they are making a life-altering decision
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
The hot controversy surrounding solar geoengineering
under the radar Solar geoengineering is feeling the burn
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Citizen science says anyone can be a scientist
The explainer Yes, even you. The practice is being increasingly accepted by researchers as a way to gather data.
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Lab-grown meat might be about to meet its maker
Under the radar The controversy at the intersection of cultured meat and agribusiness
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published