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Indicator Specification
The ocean is the most dominant component of the Earth’s heat balance, and most of the total warming caused by climate change is manifested in increased ocean heat content (OHC). Isotherms (i.e. contour lines of a given temperature) in the ocean have moved at comparable or faster rates than on land, causing species distribution shifts. Good estimates of past changes in OHC are essential for understanding the role of the oceans in past climate change, and for assessing future climate change. OHC integrates temperature change, the density of seawater and specific heat capacity from the surface down to the deep ocean. OHC is an anomaly calculated in comparison with a reference period. OHC is estimated based on temperature measurements or on reanalyses using a combination of models and observations. Changes in heat content cause the ocean to expand or contract, thereby changing global sea level. This thermosteric effect has contributed about one-quarter to global sea level rise since 1993.
In April 2013, the European Commission (EC) presented the EU Adaptation Strategy Package. This package consists of the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change (COM/2013/216 final) and a number of supporting documents. The overall aim of the EU Adaptation Strategy is to contribute to a more climate-resilient Europe.
One of the objectives of the EU Adaptation Strategy is Better informed decision-making, which will be achieved by bridging the knowledge gap and further developing the European climate adaptation platform (Climate-ADAPT) as the ‘one-stop shop’ for adaptation information in Europe. Climate-ADAPT has been developed jointly by the EC and the EEA to share knowledge on (1) observed and projected climate change and its impacts on environmental and social systems and on human health, (2) relevant research, (3) EU, transnational, national and subnational adaptation strategies and plans, and (4) adaptation case studies.
Further objectives include Promoting adaptation in key vulnerablesectors through climate-proofing EU sector policies and Promoting action by Member States. Most EU Member States have already adopted national adaptation strategies and many have also prepared action plans on climate change adaptation. The EC also supports adaptation in cities through the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy initiative.
In September 2016, the EC presented an indicative roadmap for the evaluation of the EU Adaptation Strategy by 2018.
In November 2013, the European Parliament and the European Council adopted the 7th EU Environment Action Programme (7th EAP) to 2020, ‘Living well, within the limits of our planet’. The 7th EAP is intended to help guide EU action on environment and climate change up to and beyond 2020. It highlights that ‘Action to mitigate and adapt to climate change will increase the resilience of the Union’s economy and society, while stimulating innovation and protecting the Union’s natural resources.’ Consequently, several priority objectives of the 7th EAP refer to climate change adaptation.
No targets have been specified.
Ocean heat content is defined as the integrated temperature change times the density of seawater, times specific heat capacity from the surface down to the deep ocean.
The warming of the world ocean since 1955 is estimated using different kinds of observational data: historical data not previously available, additional modern data, correcting for instrumental biases of bathythermograph data, and correcting or excluding some Argo float data.
Not applicable
No methodology references available.
See under "Methodology".
In general, changes related to the physical and chemical marine environment are better documented than biological changes. For example, systematic observations of sea surface temperature began around 1880. More recently, these manual measurements have been complemented by satellite-based observations that have a high resolution in time and a wide geographical coverage, as well as by Argo floats that automatically measure temperature and salinity below the ocean surface.
Recently, it has been determined that past increases in OHC have been substantially underestimated because of poor sampling of the Southern Hemisphere and limitations of the analysis methods. These concerns have not yet been considered in the datasets presented here.
No uncertainty has been specified
Work specified here requires to be completed within 1 year from now.
Work specified here will require more than 1 year (from now) to be completed.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/ocean-heat-content-1 or scan the QR code.
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