The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights a concerning trend of ocean warming reaching unprecedented levels. Claire Ransom, coordinator of the WMO's State of the Global Climate 2025 report, explains that the planet is experiencing an energy imbalance due to record-high greenhouse gas concentrations. This imbalance is causing significant changes across various Earth systems, including the oceans, cryosphere, and atmosphere.
Central to these changes is the ocean, which absorbs the majority of the excess heat generated by human activities. This absorption is driving faster sea-level rise and is expected to continue for hundreds or even thousands of years. The ongoing warming of the oceans underscores the long-term impact of climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for global efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate further environmental damage.