UN Report: Earth's Energy Imbalance Reaches Record High
A new UN report reveals Earth's energy imbalance is at a record high, with oceans absorbing the vast majority of trapped heat.
Key Points
- Energy imbalance increased by 11 zettajoules/year (2005-2025).
- Oceans absorbing the vast majority of trapped heat.
- 2015-2025 confirmed as the hottest 11 years on record.
Full Details
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a State of the Global Climate report indicating that Earth's energy balance is dangerously out of whack. The report highlights that the planet is experiencing a record energy imbalance, which is warming oceans to unprecedented levels and driving more extreme weather. Between 2005 and 2025, the energy imbalance increased by approximately 11 zettajoules annually, a figure equivalent to about 18 times the total human energy use. While surface temperatures are rising, they represent only about 1% of the total heat accumulating in the wider Earth system, with the oceans absorbing the bulk of this excess energy.
Why It Matters
The findings suggest that even if surface temperatures stabilize, the deep oceans will continue to warm for centuries, locking in severe climate impacts for millennia.
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