Specifically, the warming rate has surged from 0.06°C per decade between 1985 and 1989 to 0.27°C per decade from 2019 to 2023, marking a rise 4.5 times faster than in the late 1980s.

A recent study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters reveals alarming trends in sea surface temperatures, highlighting the significant impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

Utilizing global satellite data from ESA's Climate Change Initiative, the research analyzed observations from 20 infrared and microwave radiometers spanning from 1980 to 2023.

Lead author Chris Merchant from Reading University explained that greenhouse gases trap heat, leading to an energy imbalance that drives climate change.

The findings indicate that sea surface temperatures have been warming at an accelerated rate over the past four decades.

While short-term fluctuations in sea surface temperatures can be influenced by events like El Niño and volcanic eruptions, these phenomena do not alter the overarching long-term warming trend.

The study's results will also support ESA’s MOTECUSOMA project, which investigates Earth’s energy imbalance and its implications for climate change.

Co-author Owen Embury, a scientific leader of the ESA-CCI sea-surface temperature project, emphasized that the increasing accumulation of planetary energy is the dominant factor in this long-term warming.

Accurate climate projections are essential, as the rising ocean heat contributes to extreme weather events, disrupts ecosystems, and accelerates sea level rise.