Record-breaking ocean temperatures set off climate change alarms

Ocean temperatures broke a 7-year record this week, with daily global sea surface temperature hitting 20.96 degrees Celsius. The last record was set at 20.95 degree Celsius in March 2016.

Warmer oceans may speed up the melting of glaciers, causing water levels to increase further. BBC reported that increasing temperatures may disrupt marine life too.

Global temperatures have also been on the rise. July 2023 was tagged as the hottest month ever recorded, as per Associated Press.

European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Earth’s temperature has been temporarily passing over a key warming threshold: the internationally accepted goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius.

Copernicus calculated that through the first 23 days of July, the planet’s average temperature averaged 16.95 degrees Celsius. That’s nearly one-third of a degree Celsius hotter than the previous record for the hottest month, July 2019.