Oceans Absorbing Earth's Excess Energy, Disrupting Food Systems

New climate report highlights how rising ocean heat is impacting global food production and livelihoods.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 4:42pm

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A highly textured, abstract painting in earthy tones of blue, green, and brown, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex forces of the Earth's energy imbalance and the oceans' role in absorbing excess heat.As the Earth traps more energy than it releases, the oceans have absorbed the majority of this excess heat, with cascading impacts on global food systems.Today in Miami

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization has added a key new indicator to track global warming - the Earth's energy imbalance. This measure shows that the planet is trapping more energy than it releases, with 91% of that excess heat being absorbed by the oceans. This rising ocean heat is having significant consequences for food systems, including coral bleaching, reduced fishing yields, coastal erosion, and disruption of farming due to glacier melt and flooding.

Why it matters

As the planet continues to warm, the oceans' ability to absorb excess heat is reaching its limits. This is masking the true extent of climate change and having cascading impacts on global food production, fisheries, and the livelihoods of those who depend on them. Understanding the Earth's energy imbalance provides critical context for interpreting other climate indicators like sea level rise and glacier melt.

The details

The World Meteorological Organization's latest report found that the Earth's energy imbalance, or the difference between incoming solar energy and outgoing radiation, has set new records for the past 9 years. This excess energy is primarily being absorbed by the oceans, which take in 91% of the heat. As oceans warm, it is leading to coral bleaching, habitat degradation, reduced fishing yields, coastal erosion, and disruption of farming due to glacier melt and flooding. Experts warn that the oceans are reaching their limit in offsetting the impacts of climate change, and that this hidden heat absorption has been 'masking' the true extent of global warming.

  • The World Meteorological Organization released its latest report on climate indicators on Sunday, April 6, 2026.
  • The Earth's energy imbalance, or the difference between incoming solar energy and outgoing radiation, has set new records for the past 9 years.

The players

World Meteorological Organization

The United Nations agency responsible for monitoring global weather and climate.

John Kennedy

Lead author and scientific coordinator of the World Meteorological Organization's latest climate report.

Jennifer Jacquet

Professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami who studies the relationship between oceans and climate change.

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What they’re saying

“Climate change is often discussed in terms of the change in the global mean surface temperature, but year-to-year variations in air temperatures, caused by the weather patterns El Niño and La Niña, can 'hide the long-term trend' of global warming.”

— John Kennedy, Lead author and scientific coordinator of the World Meteorological Organization report

“As long as that energy imbalance is there, the Earth will keep on warming, ice will continue to melt, and the sea level will continue to rise.”

— John Kennedy, Lead author and scientific coordinator of the World Meteorological Organization report

“The oceans are reaching their limit of what they can do to help offset anthropogenic changes.”

— Jennifer Jacquet, Professor of environmental science and policy, University of Miami

What’s next

The World Meteorological Organization plans to continue tracking the Earth's energy imbalance as a key indicator of global warming, alongside other climate metrics like atmospheric greenhouse gas levels, temperature, and sea level rise.

The takeaway

As the planet traps more energy than it releases, the oceans have been absorbing the majority of this excess heat, masking the true extent of climate change. However, this ocean heat absorption is reaching its limits and having cascading impacts on global food production, fisheries, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Understanding the Earth's energy imbalance is crucial for fully grasping the urgency of the climate crisis.