The Atlantic is running a fever

Over the weekend, a viral chart by Prof. Eliot Jacobson depicting sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean based on data from Climate Reanalyzer revealed a significant spike of nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit above the long-term average since 1982. This warming is occurring amidst other climate challenges like severe wildfires in Canada, diminishing sea ice in both poles, and unusually warm temperatures worldwide.  

According to UCLA climate scientist, Dr. Daniel Swain, human-caused climate change underlies these events. Additionally, potential contributing factors include the early onset of El Niño, the recent eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano and new sulphur aerosol emission regulations. Swain said: “The North Atlantic is record-shatteringly warm right now. There has never been any day in observed history where the entire North Atlantic has been nearly as warm as it is right now, at any time of year.” 

Anomalous warmth extends across the Atlantic basin, encompassing the Irminger Sea, the western Mediterranean Sea, and the tropical regions from Africa to at least the Caribbean. Anomalous warming is not isolated to the North Atlantic, sea surface temperatures globally are reaching anomalous warm records.  

However, you may still wonder: why should I care? 

The warming Atlantic is directly linked to polar and sub-polar tipping points, including ocean currents and the melting of sea and land ice. For example, the warmer temperatures of the North Atlantic can prevent or delay the formation of sea ice by pushing the warmer waters into the Arctic Ocean. This in turn, has consequences for the global climate, and the loss of Arctic sea ice has even been linked to the on-going 2023 wildfires throughout Canada. 

Beyond the Arctic, did you know that 70% of our planet is covered by oceans? When they warm, people and ecosystems around the world suffer. For example, warmer oceans are linked to more extreme, frequent and intense storms, and leads to sea-level rise that in turn leads to coastal erosion, increased flooding, and the displacement of coastal communities. Changes in ocean health have cascading effects throughout the marine food web, ranging from coral bleaching (another global tipping point) to impacting the lives of nearly half of the global population (3 billion people) directly dependent on marine ecosystems—key to SDG 14 (Jurkschat, 2020).  

It is important to note that these consequences are interconnected and can amplify each other, leading to more complex and severe impacts on both the environment and human well-being. Addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to mitigate these consequences and protect our oceans and the ecosystems they support, including human life.