InTheNews.co.uk
Breaking News:
Your source for news

Science Story

 29 August 2008 19:28 BST

Temperatures 'set to cool' in coming decade

Thursday, 01 May 2008 12:57
Temperatures could cool in the coming decade, scientists say

Science In Focus 

  • 50 years of Nasa

    We take a look at the highs and lows of the past five decades of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa). Full Story
Surface temperatures in Europe and North America could cool slightly in the coming decade, rather than rise as is feared under climate change, a new study claims.

German researchers found that in the next ten years natural climate variations in the north Atlantic and tropical Pacific oceans will temporarily offset the warming that is expected as a result of human activities.

They base their predictions on a study using existing sea surface temperature observations that also took into account internal natural climate variations and projected environmental impacts caused by humans.

Writing in the journal Nature, they argue that their system is superior to predictions made with incomplete knowledge of the ocean state.

"Our results suggest that global surface temperature may not increase over the next decade, as natural climate variations in the North Atlantic and tropical Pacific temporarily offset the projected anthropogenic [man-made] warming," the researchers conclude.

"North Atlantic sea surface temperature [SST] and European and North American surface temperatures will cool slightly, whereas tropical Pacific SST will remain almost unchanged."

In an accompanying article in Nature, Richard Wood from the Met Office Hadley Centre said the German study provides "encouragement" that temperature predictions taking into account the variability within decades may be possible.

He warns that limitations could include unpredictable impacts on the climate, such as volcanic eruptions.

However he concludes: "The first attempts at decadal prediction suggest that reasonably accurate forecasts of the combined effects of increasing greenhouse-gas concentrations and natural climate variations can be made.

"Climate scientists are gearing up to test and extend these ideas over the coming years, in the hope that we can then plan more confidently for the future."
End of story


More science news... 

Also In The News 

© 2004- 2008 www.inthenews.co.uk. Advertise | Privacy | Terms of Use