• UGI USER
  • Mar 19, 2024
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OCEANS HAVE A FEVER – HERE’S WHY

Why in the news?

Record-high ocean temperatures pose severe threats to marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and weather patterns, urging urgent action on emissions reduction.

About Record-High Ocean Temperatures:

  • Copernicus Climate Change Service reports the highest-ever average global sea surface temperature (SST) for February 2024 at 21.06°C, surpassing the previous record set in August 2023.
  • Since March 2023, daily SST has consistently exceeded historical norms, indicating unprecedented ocean warming.
  • Factors contributing to ocean warming include increased greenhouse gas emissions, reduced dust from the Sahara desert, and regulations on sulphur emissions from marine fuels.
  • The World Meteorological Organization warns of a high likelihood of surpassing the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels between 2023 and 2027.
What are Ocean currents?

●  Continuous, directional movement of seawater influenced by various forces, akin to river flows in oceans.

●  Movements: Horizontal currents, vertical upwellings or downwellings.

●  Impact: Crucial for climate regulation, influencing weather patterns and biodiversity in the biosphere.

What is Global warming?

●  Earth’s temperature rises gradually due to increased greenhouse gases like CO2, CFCs. Consequences include climate change, habitat loss.

About World Meteorological Organization (WMO):

●  Intergovernmental organisation with 192 Member States and Territories.

●  Origin: Evolved from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress.

●  Established: Ratification of the WMO Convention on March 23, 1950, as a specialised agency of the United Nations.

●  Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.