The world’s oceans absorbed an unprecedented amount of heat in 2025 — a staggering 23 zettajoules of energy, equivalent to running every power plant, car, and device on Earth continuously for 37 years — and this is just one year’s extra heat trapped by human-driven carbon emissions. The oceans are our planet’s primary heat sink, taking up over 90 % of the extra heat caused by fossil fuel burning. This relentless warming has pushed ocean heat content to new records for nine consecutive years and supercharges evaporation, rainfall, storms and extreme weather across Asia, Africa and beyond.
Instead of urgently phasing out fossil fuels, powerful governments are dismantling climate science institutions and blocking international mitigation efforts. This corporate fossil fuel greed is now reshaping Earth’s climate systems, threatening marine ecosystems, coastal security and future food production. We are dangerously close to a climate feedback tipping point — and policymakers must be held accountable before it’s too late.
🔗 Source: https://countercurrents.org/2026/02/ocean-heat-goes-ballistic/
