Published on 09 Mar 2025
• A recent study reveals that the ocean heat content (OHC), which measures thermal energy stored in the global oceans, reached 286 zettajoules in 2023, relative to the 1981– 2010 average.
Zettajoules means a billion trillion joules.
• OHC is crucial for understanding global warming as oceans absorb much of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
• Over the past decade, OHC in the upper 6,500 feet of the oceans, responsible for absorbing about 90% of global warming, has consistently increased annually.
• This rise is attributed to both long-term global warming trends and short-term fluctuations, such as El Niño.
Global Ocean Heat Content
global warming
heat budget
climate change
climate
ocean temperature