Media release
10 January

Global And NZ Temperatures Are Cooling, Not Warming

Figures just released by the U.S. National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) show that mean global temperature for 2006 was 0.24 deg C cooler than it was in 1998.

The seven years 1999 to 2005 were also cooler than 1998.

Unlike air temperature measured by thermometers on the ground, NSSTC data comes from highly accurate measurements by satellites, correct to one tenths of a degree C.

NSSTC is a research organization partnership between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama universities, US federal agencies and industry. click here

"This data suggests global warming might have stopped eight years ago, in line with what might be expected from the natural cycles of warming and cooling that are common features of climate" said Professor Augie Auer, chairman of the scientific panel of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition.

"It comes two days after the statement by the NIWA National Climate Centre that New Zealand can expect cooler but drier than average conditions over the next three months. This prompts the question: how much more cooling will have to occur before NIWA will admit that global warming is not happening.

"We know that emissions of carbon dioxide are still occurring, which prompts a further question: for how much longer can NIWA support claims by the present government that CO2 causes catastrophic warming, and needs to be curbed by the imposition of special taxes or emission charges. Surely it's now time to put a stop to these sensationalist claims, which are not supported by verifiable scientific data" said Professor Auer.

ENDS