Global ocean temperatures outside the polar regions reached unprecedented levels on June 21, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Copernicus Marine Service. Temperatures rose to 20.86 degrees Celsius (69.54 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing records from previous years. This marks a concerning trend attributed to climate change.

The Copernicus Marine Service observed temperatures at 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 Fahrenheit), exceeding historical records by 0.1 degree Celsius. Richard Allan, a climate science professor from the University of Reading, highlighted that this aligns with the ongoing warming of the planet due to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from fossil fuel consumption.

Oceans absorb over 90% of the excess energy caused by fossil fuels, illustrating the severe effects of climate change. The emergence of El Niño further exacerbates the issue. A severe heatwave is expected to affect parts of the United States, with over 46 million individuals under extreme heat alerts as reported by the National Weather Service. Temperatures could reach the mid-to-upper 90s and potentially exceed 100 degrees, particularly in the central and eastern U.S.

Similar weather patterns are impacting Canada and Europe. Recent temperature records were broken in Europe, leading to more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21. France reported about 1,000 deaths higher than usual due to a significant heatwave, according to the national health ministry.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describes the phenom as ‘once-in-a-generation’ but now nearly annual. Europe is experiencing rapid warming, twice the global rate, affecting infrastructure not designed for such temperatures.