Determination of the rate of change of sea surface CO2 fugacity (fCO(2)) is important, as the fCO(2) gradient between the atmosphere and the ocean determines the direction of CO2 flux and hence the fate of this greenhouse gas. Using a newly available, community-based global CO2 database (Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas Version 3 coastal data set) and a newly developed statistical method, we report that the global ocean margins (within 400km offshore, 30 degrees S-70 degrees N) fCO(2) temporal trends on decadal time scales (1.931.59atmyr(-1)) closely follow the atmospheric fCO(2) increase rate (1.900.06atmyr(-1)) in the Northern Hemisphere but are lower (1.350.55atmyr(-1)) in the Southern Hemisphere, reflecting dominant atmospheric forcing in conjunction with different warming rates in the two hemispheres. In addition to the atmospheric fCO(2) forcing, a direct warming effect contributes more to fCO(2) increase in the western boundary current-influenced areas, while intensified upwelling contributes more to fCO(2) increase in eastern boundary current-influenced areas.