Global sea surface temperatures reached unprecedented highs over the weekend and are expected to continue rising in the coming months, placing severe strain on life in the water and on land too, the European climate service Copernicus warned Monday.
Driven by a combination of human-induced climate change and a powerful El Nino phenomenon, sea temperatures touched 21.1 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday and Saturday. This slightly surpassed the previous daily average record recorded in March 2024, according to Samantha Burgess, strategic climate lead for Copernicus.
