The surface of the oceans has just experienced its warmest month of May on record. May 2023 was the second warmest globally, as we see the El Niño signal continuing to emerge in the equatorial Pacific.
The ocean, like a sponge, has absorbed about 90% of the increase in heat caused by human activities. Its warming is causing "unprecedented cascading effects," says the UN – melting ice, rising sea levels, ocean heatwaves and ocean acidification. The capacity to absorb CO2 is also decreasing.