ocean heat
Digital Art on Metal 36" W X 20.5" H
THE SKETCH
WHAT'S ALARMING
An analysis published in the journal Science in Jan, 2019 finds that oceans are heating, on average, 40 percent faster than was estimated only 4 years earlier, and that recent years have seen record-breaking ocean temperatures with 2019 the warmest.
Our oceans have absorbed over 90% of the heat produced by increasing CO2 levels. Thermal expansion from increased temperatures accounts for about 40% of the global sea-level rise observed over the last 60 years. Warmer temperatures contribute to significant coral bleaching, causing the loss of corals supporting thousands of species of marine life. Fish species migrating to cooler waters disrupt fishing villages and commercial fisheries. Warmer temperatures also cause more powerful hurricanes and increase coastal flooding.