By Krishna

NEW DELHI: (Jul 25) Marine heatwaves — prolonged periods of raised ocean temperatures than what are typical for that time of year — experienced in 2023 were not only unprecedented, but may have also signalled a potential climate tipping point, with irreversible, negative impacts to coral reefs and ecosystems, according to a new study.

Researchers from China and the US found that regions in oceans across the globe, including the North Atlantic, and the tropical, south and north Pacific experienced extreme marine heatwaves — the longest in duration, widest in extent and highest in intensity on record.

The findings, published in the journal Science, show that the most intense warming occurred in the North Atlantic, tropical eastern Pacific, north Pacific, and southwest Pacific, which “collectively accounted for 90 per cent of the global ocean warming”.