A new study shows that the oceans are absorbing far more heat than what was previously anticipated. The increase means that the Earth is now vulnerable to a sensitivity to fossil fuel emissions. The difference in what scientists predicted 25 years ago will heighten the difficulty in monitoring global warming levels in the future.  Gas emissions due to human consumption generate this excess heat.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released guidelines to keep global warming under 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The new information about the oceans makes this value harder to avoid. Warming of the oceans jeopardizes the ice caps, causing rising sea levels. Coastal areas like New Jersey and other major cities could suffer as a result of rising sea levels. Warmer oceans allow less oxygen and damage marine ecosystems in turn.

The heat in the oceans could possibly be released over a long period of time. In order for that to occur, we must cool the atmosphere by reducing greenhouse gases.