Lead
The world's oceans experienced their hottest June on record, according to European Union climate monitors, who warn that a developing El Niño pattern could push temperatures even higher in the coming months. The EU's Copernicus Marine Service said on Wednesday that global average sea surface temperatures in June reached 20.98°C, surpassing the previous records set in 2023 and 2024. The first six months of 2026 averaged 20.04°C, slightly below the record set during the same period in 2024.
Coverage Comparison
Reporting from Al Jazeera, France 24 – English, and RFI – English consistently highlights the record-breaking nature of the ocean temperatures and the role of El Niño alongside human-driven climate change. All three outlets cite the EU's Copernicus Marine Service as the primary source of the data, and they quote scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Copernicus Marine Service.
Al Jazeera's coverage emphasizes the scale of the phenomenon, reporting that marine heatwaves expanded steadily throughout the first half of 2026, ultimately affecting around 82 percent of the global ocean. France 24 – English and RFI – English also report the 82 percent figure, describing the period as one of near-unprecedented ocean warmth.
While the outlets differ slightly in their framing—Al Jazeera's headline focuses on record-breaking temperatures, while France 24 and RFI also highlight the 'deepening crisis'—they all attribute the underlying cause to humanity's release of greenhouse gases, compounded by the cyclical El Niño pattern. The tone across all three reports is informative and alarming, with direct quotes from scientists underscoring the urgency.
Key Claims
- Global average sea surface temperatures in June reached 20.98°C, breaking the previous records set in 2023 and 2024, according to the EU's Copernicus Marine Service.
- The first six months of 2026 averaged 20.04°C, slightly below the high set in the same period in 2024, as reported by France 24 – English and RFI – English.
- Marine heatwaves affected around 82 percent of the world's oceans during the first half of 2026, as reported by Al Jazeera, France 24 – English, and RFI – English.
- The onset of a potentially powerful El Niño weather pattern could boost global heat in the oceans and atmosphere even further in 2026 and into next year, according to scientists quoted in multiple reports.
- El Niño is marked by unusually warm waters in parts of the Pacific Ocean, releasing more heat into the atmosphere and influencing wind, cloud, and weather patterns around the globe.
- Scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Copernicus Marine Service warn that more temperature records are likely to fall in the coming months.
Perspectives
The EU's Copernicus Marine Service, as the source of the data, reports that the first half of 2026 was 'marked by sustained and exceptional ocean warmth.' Simon van Gennip, lead oceanographer for the service, stated that marine heatwaves expanded steadily, affecting around 82 percent of the global ocean, and noted that the Mediterranean, the central North Atlantic, and the equatorial Pacific are hotspots.
Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, is quoted saying that current conditions could indicate 'the beginning of a new phase, leading, once more, to uncharted territory.' He added that with ocean temperatures at these levels and El Niño on the horizon, more temperature records are likely to fall.
Simon Van Gennip further explained that with the arrival of an El Niño year, 2026 could be among the warmest ever recorded, due both to El Niño and to the continued warming from greenhouse gas emissions. These scientist quotes, appearing across the three outlets' reports, present a consistent message from the EU monitors.
This article does not include a separate perspectives section because the material provided does not contain distinct viewpoints from parties other than the EU scientific bodies mentioned above.