No, There's No 'Pause' In Global Warming – And No Real Scientific Debate Either

The hypothesis of a 'hiatus' in global warming has been around for a few years now, since a puzzling slowdown on the rise of oceanic temperatures between 1998 and 2012 was observed. A 2015 study from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization (NOAA) found out and corrected the problem, which was caused by a change of equipment.

On February 4, retired NOAA data scientist John Bates wrote a blog post accusing his then boss, Thomas Karl, of keeping his "thumb on the scale" when adjusting data collected for the above mentioned study. There was an instant response from sceptical media and politicians on the issue.

In this article, Seth Borenstein and Michael Biesecker showcase how there's no real debate about the issue. They build from an interview Dr Bates gave The Associated Press on Monday. Bates didn't withdraw his accusations, but explained that he doesn't believe they can be used to challenge global warming. They are, nonetheless, important issues, but more related to transparency and good institutional practice than to bad or skewed science.

The piece is an excellent look at the intersection between science, media and politics. In this particular case, a serious publication uses well-exposed arguments and a battery of excellent references to debunk tabloid and partial information. This is the kind of articles journalism needs to gain back its credibility.

Extra points for pointing the right fingers at the right people!