Oceans warm, driving ecosystem shifts and coastal risks
Over the past decades the world ocean has warmed and changed in ways that now have immediate consequences for ecosystems and people. Phytoplankton growth patterns shifted across nearly 5% of ocean area, while European seas saw record marine heatwaves in 2024 with some waters 4.6°C above average and lasting over 30 days. Arctic and Kara Sea temperatures rose sharply, and Arctic sea ice has shrunk by about 500,000 square kilometres per decade since 1979. Storms in 2024 caused large waves, infrastructure damage and transport disruption, underlining the need for continuous ocean observation.
Nearly 500,000 km² of Arctic sea ice lost per decade since 1979
Context
Ocean warming has been steady since the early 1980s. Recent 2024 heatwaves and storms…
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- Watch PointsMonthly European sea surface…Locked
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