In July 2023, a record of 28.71 degrees was measured. This means that the surface temperature of the Mediterranean Sea is higher than ever before for the second year in a row. The previous record was set in August 2003, when the daily median was 28.25 degrees.
This means that the water temperature was above this value on half of the days of the month. The current preliminary measurements are based on satellite data from the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation program. Since the beginning of August this year, water temperatures of over 30 degrees have also been measured locally, including in Egypt, Monaco, Corsica and near the Spanish city of Valencia. What is particularly remarkable is that the heat waves have now lasted for a long time, explained ICM researcher Justino Martínez.
“Hotspot” of climate change
The Mediterranean is described by the IPCC as a “hotspot” of climate change. Since the 1980s, the Mediterranean’s marine ecosystems have been undergoing drastic changes, with a decline in biodiversity and the arrival of invasive species. According to the IPCC, around 20 percent of the fish species and invertebrates used for fishing in the eastern Mediterranean could become extinct by 2060 if global warming is not limited to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times.
According to an analysis by the research network World Weather Attribution (WWA), the current heat wave in the Mediterranean would be “practically impossible” without man-made climate change. In addition, climate change generally means that heat waves have become hotter, longer and more frequent.
