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[INTERNATIONAL] · Spain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Sweden · 57 sources

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European seas experience record warming driven by climate change

A study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network confirms that human-induced climate change is the primary driver behind unprecedented marine heatwaves across European waters. Researchers analyzed four key regions: the Celtic Sea, the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Peninsula, and the eastern and western Mediterranean basins.

The Mediterranean has experienced extreme warming, with temperatures in the western basin reaching approximately 1.9 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. In some areas, observational data shows increases of up to 3.1 degrees Celsius. In June, Mediterranean waters were up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, and a buoy near Mallorca recorded a record 33 degrees Celsius in August.

In the Celtic Sea region, climate change has made such heatwave events approximately 30 times more likely, with models suggesting they may now recur every three years. The Iberian Peninsula and Bay of Biscay also saw human-induced warming of approximately 1.4 degrees Celsius. Scientists warn that these rising sea temperatures threaten marine ecosystems, potentially causing mass deaths of coral, sponges, and macroalgae, and disrupting entire food chains.

Entities

Adriatic Sea · Austria · Bay of Biscay · Celtic Sea · Deutscher Wetterdienst · Europe · Germany · Iberian Peninsula · Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej · Italy · Mediterranean Sea · Poland

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