A new study published in Earth System Science Data shows Earth's energy imbalance has doubled since the 1970s, meaning the planet is trapping heat at a record pace. Human-caused warming reached 1.37 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in 2025, driven almost entirely by greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. The report also tracks marine heatwaves for the first time, finding the ocean experienced 65 days of extreme heat in 2025, more than triple the rate since 1991. The remaining carbon budget for staying under 1.5 degrees Celsius is about 130 billion tons of CO2, enough for roughly three years at current emission rates. Nearly 90 percent of the trapped heat goes into the ocean, driving sea level rise and threatening fisheries. While CO2 emissions are still climbing, the rate of increase has slowed compared to the 2000s, offering a narrow but real opening for faster decarbonization efforts.
