The study, which delves into the physical dynamics of the Mediterranean, provides key data to the Ocean State Report (OSR10), involving over a hundred researchers from the international scientific community.
The 10th Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR10), published a few days ago by Mercator Ocean International on behalf of the European Commission, has issued its strongest warning yet about the profound changes taking place in the global ocean. Prepared by an international team of 125 scientists using the latest satellite, in situ, and modeling data, the report features significant contributions from Spanish marine research institutions, including the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), with a study led by researcher Laura Gómez-Navarro.
The report’s findings reveal a clear diagnosis: ocean heat content has accelerated since 1960, absorbing a record additional 23 zettajoules in 2025 (roughly 40 times the energy the entire world consumed in 2025); global mean sea level rose by 3.8 ± 0.3 mm each year between 1999 and 2025, increasing to 4.2 ± 0.3 mm per year between 2012 and 2025; and the ocean became roughly 17% more acidic between 1985 and 2025.
A high-resolution look at Mediterranean currents
The study led by researcher Laura Gómez-Navarro (ICM-CSIC) has been essential to deepening our understanding of the Western Mediterranean's physical dynamics using next-generation observations from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite. Jointly developed by the USA’s (NASA) and french (CNES) space agencies, the SWOT satellite monitors and maps Earth's freshwater bodies and oceans in 2D with unprecedented precision. Specifically, the study shows how this type of satellite altimetry (a remote sensing technique that measures the distance between a satellite and Earth's surface) improves our ability to observe and characterize ocean circulation, especially at smaller spatial scales.
These detailed observations have enabled not only the detection of a greater number of small marine structures (eddies), but also an improved characterization of known large eddies. The study reveals that some of these eddies exhibit significantly higher energy than estimated using conventional satellite data, shifting our understanding of how energy and water masses are distributed and transported across the region.
As Gómez-Navarro explains, "The new observations from the SWOT satellite allow us to understand the dynamics of the Western Mediterranean in greater detail. This type of data not only helps us study the ocean at smaller scales and detect more eddies, but also better characterize the energy of these structures."
In this regard, the researcher adds that "a better understanding of the intensity of currents and eddies, as well as their capacity to transport and retain water and materials, is key not only to understanding long-term climate variability and trends in the ocean, but also for practical applications such as responding to marine pollution or planning search and rescue operations at sea."
Record marine heatwaves
The Copernicus report emphasizes that the Mediterranean Sea is under unprecedented thermal pressure. In 2024, the Eastern Mediterranean recorded its most extreme marine heatwaves since 2002, while the global average temperature of the Mediterranean basin was 1.23 °C above the historical climate baseline. In various areas of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, episodes with temperatures over 4.6 °C above average were recorded, lasting for more than 30 consecutive days.
The analysis further highlights that a significant amount of this heat does not remain at the surface, but persists underwater down to tens of meters in depth, generating environmental impacts that surface measurements alone fail to reveal. This thermal accumulation fuels extreme weather events, intensifies storms, and degrades critical ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass meadows, threatening local economies, fisheries, and coastal protection.
With 100% open and accessible data and indicators, the 10th Copernicus Report reinforces the importance of combining real-time satellite monitoring with ocean modeling to turn science into practical tools for adaptation and early warning.