“The vast majority of global warming heat ends up deposited in the world’s oceans,” the authors wrote. “Ocean heat content change is one of the best—if not the best—metric for climate change… Increases in ocean heat are incontrovertible proof that the Earth is warming.”
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The scientists report that increased ocean temperatures are a major concern among scientists. They say they could cause a rise in the global average sea level could threaten coastal infrastructure and make coastal communities more susceptible to storm surges.
Temperatures are increasing because of greenhouse gases “trapping of heat radiation within the Earth’s system.”
The previous record for warmest ocean temperature was set in 2017 (see chart).
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