Does the Global Warming Pause in the Last Decade: 1999–2008?

Abstract

Issues related to the pause of global warming in the last decade are reviewed. It is indicated that: (1) The decade of 1999–2008 is still the warmest of the last 30 years, though the global temperature increment is near zero, (2) Natural factors such as volcanism, solar radiation, ENSO, and thermohaline circulation can have impact on the inter-annual and inter-decadal variability of global mean temperatures. However, it will not mask the global warming trend for a long time, (3) Temperatures of China continue to increase in 1999–2008 with an increment of 0.4–0.5°C per 10 years. Wang, S., X. Wen, Y. Luo, et al., 2010: Does the global warming pause in the last decade: 1999–2008? Adv. Clim. Change Res., 1, doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1248.2010.00049