The Earth’s oceans have never been hotter, and for scientists around the world, the alarm bells are ringing.
Report informs via foreign media that one of Scotland’s foremost marine experts, Prof Mike Burrows, has told the Record he’s never seen anything like it in 30 years.
Average global sea surface temperatures smashed the record this week, hitting nearly 21C – but in some parts of the world, it’s far higher, with waters around Florida comparable to a hot tub.
Past evidence shows us episodes of severe heat in seas can take a devastating toll on our precious marine life. Now it is clear that climate change is taking us to the brink of catastrophe.
It is worth contrasting the record ocean temperatures with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement earlier this week on North Sea licences.
He has ensured decades of drilling for oil we may never need – all but ignoring climate concerns while he should be embracing the renewables revolution.
Virtually every light on the global warming control panel is now blinking red.
Whether it’s our oceans heating up, or nearly 40C heat in South America during their winter, or wildfires and floods, the real and present danger of climate change is all around us.