No 'Pause' In Global Warming: Study Finds No 'Substantive' Evidence

A team of researchers claimed that there is no substantive evidence of a "pause" or "hiatus" in global warming after they examined numerous scientific articles that indicated a 'pause' in climate warming, according to a study at the University of Bristol in the UK.

"There is no evidence for a pause in global warming," Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, lead author of the study, said in a news release. "Scientists should avoid the use of 'pause' or hiatus' when referring to fluctuations of global mean surface temperature around the longer-term warming trend."

The researchers examined 40 scientific articles, which were published between 2009 and 2014, which "presumed hiatus." However, the articles did not address any consistency or define the presumed "hiatus."  Also, there was no mentioning of when the "hiatus" began and how long it lasted.

The researchers found that studies that addressed this "hiatus" were not quite accurate, while some were out of context on their findings. The researchers found studies with small sample sizes to be inconsistent. "Hiatus" claims that were of periods of 12 years and under, (which were covered by a third of the articles) were not accurate, since small sample sizes provides insufficient evidence.

Lewandowsky argued that scientists may understand the mechanics behind global warming and they may indicate that there is an alleged "hiatus" or "pause" in global warming. However, it does not imply that global warming has come to a halt.  

The findings of this study were published in Scientific Reports.

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