Heat content in the top 700 meters of the world's oceans

Ocean heat content is measured relative to the 1971–2000 average, which is set at zero for reference. It is measured in 10²² joules. For reference, 10²² joulesare equal to approximately 17 times the amount of energy used globally every year.

195520241960197019801990200020102020-20IAP

Data source: EPA based on various sources (2021); NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Heat Content Basin Time Series (2025)Learn more about this data

Note: Heat content is shown for four sources: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP); National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA); and Meteorological Research Institute (MRI).

Heat content in the top 700 meters of the world's oceans

Interactive visualization requires JavaScript