Breaking news

Ocean Warming Speeds Up Over Four Times Faster Than In the 1980s, Study Reveals

Ocean temperatures are rising at an alarming pace, now warming more than four times faster than they were in the late 1980s, according to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters today (January 28, 2025).

In the late 1980s, the oceans warmed by just 0.06°C per decade, but this rate has now surged to 0.27°C per decade, highlighting a dramatic acceleration in global warming. Researchers believe this rapid temperature rise is contributing to the record ocean temperatures observed throughout 2023 and early 2024.

Professor Chris Merchant, lead author at the University of Reading and the National Centre for Earth Observation, likened the shift to a bathtub of water. “If the oceans were a bathtub, then in the 1980s, the hot tap was running slowly, warming up the water by just a fraction of a degree each decade. But now, the hot tap is running much faster, and the warming has picked up speed,” said Merchant. “The way to slow down that warming is to start closing off the hot tap, by cutting global carbon emissions and moving towards net-zero.”

Energy Imbalance Driving Acceleration

This increasingly rapid ocean warming is primarily driven by Earth’s growing energy imbalance, where more energy from the Sun is being absorbed than can escape back into space. Since 2010, this imbalance has roughly doubled, in part due to rising greenhouse gas concentrations and a decrease in the Earth’s reflection of sunlight.

From 2023 to early 2024, global ocean temperatures hit record highs for 450 consecutive days. While El Niño, a natural warming phenomenon in the Pacific, contributed to part of this heat, comparisons with the 2015-2016 El Niño revealed that the bulk of the extraordinary warmth could be attributed to the ocean’s increasing rate of heat absorption. In fact, 44% of this record-breaking warmth was due to oceans absorbing heat at a faster rate than in previous decades.

Implications For Future Warming

The study’s findings suggest that the ocean warming experienced over the past four decades may be just the beginning. The rate of warming seen in the last 40 years could be surpassed in just the next two decades, which will have significant implications for global climate patterns. Since the surface oceans set the pace for overall global warming, this accelerating rate of ocean temperature rise is an urgent indicator for the climate as a whole.

This study underscores the pressing need to reduce fossil fuel emissions to avoid even more rapid temperature increases and begin stabilising the climate before it is too late. The warning is clear: if left unchecked, the Earth’s rapidly warming oceans will continue to exacerbate the climate crisis.

Forbes Middle East Unveils 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen Of 2025

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its much-anticipated 2025 ranking of the region’s top businesswomen, spotlighting influential leaders reshaping industries and driving meaningful transformation. The list was based on business size, individual accomplishments, leadership impact, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Top Spot For Hana Al Rostamani

For the third consecutive year, Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank (UAE’s largest bank by assets), claims the top position. In addition to retaining her position in the Forbes Middle East ranking, she was also featured on Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s Most Powerful Women, securing the 60th position globally. Under her leadership, the bank achieved an impressive $3.5 billion in net profits and $334.8 billion in assets in the first nine months of 2024.

Rising Stars In The Top 10

Shaikha Khaled Al Bahar of NBK Group and Shaista Asif, cofounder and Group CEO of PureHealth Holding, take the second and third spots respectively, completing the top three.

The top 10 remains largely unchanged from last year, with Tayba Al Hashemi of ADNOC Offshore, Alisha Moopen of Aster DM Healthcare GCC, and Suzanne Al Anani of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) making their debut in the top 10. In total, 27 new leaders have joined the list this year.

A Diverse And Powerful Group Of Women

This year’s list features 100 women from 32 sectors and 29 nationalities, underlining the diversity of talent driving the region’s progress. The banking and financial services sector leads with 25 entries, followed by healthcare and technology with nine each, and venture capital with five. Remarkably, 40% of the top 10 women are from the banking and financial services sector. Notably, Shaista Asif (PureHealth Holding) and Alisha Moopen (Aster DM Healthcare GCC) are the only non-Arab women in the top 10.

UAE Leads With 46 Leaders

The UAE continues to dominate, with 46 of the women on the list hailing from the country, solidifying its status as a global business hub. Egypt follows with 18 influential women, and Saudi Arabia claims nine entries. Egyptians lead in representation, followed by Emiratis and Lebanese women.

Empowering Women Through Initiatives

Several of the leaders have focused on upskilling and creating opportunities for women. Susana Rodriguez Puerta launched the ‘sAIdaty’ initiative in collaboration with the Dubai Business Women Council, aimed at providing 500 female council members in the UAE with AI skills. Similarly, Lamia Tazi of SOTHEMA collaborated with the Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation in Science and Engineering to provide scholarships to PhD students from low-income backgrounds.

Click here for the full list.

Uri Levine Course

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter