El Niño is over, but concern grows over steamy ocean waters – The Weather Network

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Ocean and Air Temperature

Introduction

Ocean and air temperatures around the world reached record-high levels last year, and they’ve both remained exceptionally warm throughout most of 2024.

El Niño and its Impact

Some of the historic warming we saw in 2023 was driven by El Niño, the pattern of warmer-than-normal Pacific waters off the west coast of South America.

We’d expect to see noticeable cooling now that El Niño is over—but we haven’t seen that shift back toward normal yet, a worrying prospect for rebuilding Arctic sea ice heading into this winter.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The persistence of high ocean and air temperatures has significant implications for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The following SDGs are particularly relevant:

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
2. SDG 14: Life Below Water
3. SDG 15: Life on Land

La Niña and Global Weather Patterns

A strong El Niño ended this past spring and we’re on the path to a weak La Niña in time for this winter. These patterns of above- and below-seasonal ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean have far-reaching consequences for global weather patterns.

El Niño, the pattern of warmer ocean waters, tends to heat up the atmosphere in a positive feedback cycle. Warmer waters lead to warmer air, which in turn warms up the waters even more. This process also leads to diminishing sea ice.

Impact on Sea Surface Temperatures

Global sea surface temperatures set all-time high records through most of 2023, and they’ve remained near record heights for most of 2024.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
   • Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
   • Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities
   • Indicator: Ocean and air temperatures reaching record-high levels and remaining exceptionally warm throughout most of 2024

2. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
   • Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity, and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing states and least developed countries
   • Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
   • Indicator: Global sea surface temperatures setting all-time high records through most of 2023 and remaining near record heights for most of 2024

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theweathernetwork.com