Record Ocean Heat Signals 'New Phase' in Climate Crisis

The world's oceans just notched a troubling new mark. European Union scientists say global sea-surface temperatures outside the polar regions hit a record for the time of year on June 21, a spike they warn could usher in "a new phase" of climate impacts as heat waves intensify on land, per NBC News. Two branches of the EU's Copernicus program independently confirmed the milestone, measuring average ocean temperatures at roughly 20.86 to 21 degrees Celsius (about 69.5 to 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit), edging past same-month records set in 2023 and 2024.

With an El Niño pattern developing, Copernicus climate chief Carlo Buontempo said more records are likely and that the planet may be entering "uncharted territory." Oceans take in over 90% of the excess energy driven largely by fossil fuel use, scientists note, with that stored warmth bringing "consequences for weather patterns [and] global climate," the Copernicus Climate Change Service says, per the Guardian. More than 46 million people in the US are under extreme heat alerts this week, with temperatures expected to top 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. Europe is also sweltering: the WHO says more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21 have been linked to high temperatures, as "once-in-a-generation" heat waves become almost yearly events.