Oceans ‘feeling the heat from global warming’

OCEAN heatwaves are becoming alarmingly more common as a direct result of human-induced climate change, scientists have warned.

A new study reveals that globally between 1925 and 2016 the frequency of marine heatwaves increased by more than a third.

During this time the length of each recorded heatwave event rose by 17%. Overall, there had been a 54% increase in the number of global “marine heatwave days” occurring each year.

In addition researchers detected a significant acceleration of the trend since 1982.

Lead scientist Dr Eric Oliver, from Dalhousie University in Canada, said: “While some of us may enjoy the warmer waters when we go swimming, these heatwaves have significant impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, fisheries, tourism and aquaculture. There are often profound economic consequences that go hand in hand with these events.”

The team, whose findings appear in the journal Nature Communications, combined satellite data with ship records and land-based observations dating back 100 years.

The changes can firmly be attributed to man-made global warming pouring heat into the oceans, say the researchers.

Co-author Professor Neil Holbrook, from the University of Tasmania, said: “There was a clear relationship between the rise in global average sea-surface temperatures and the increase in marine heatwaves, much the same as we see increases in extreme heat events related to the increase in global average temperatures.

“With more than 90% of the heat from human caused global warming going into our oceans, it is likely marine heatwaves will continue to increase.”