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Atlantic oscillation makes global warming a tougher sell

By Hamish Johnston, physicsworld.com

Last week James Dacey blogged about the growing skepticism of the British public regarding the dangers of manmade global warming.

One reason could be that in Britain – and some other places bordering the North Atlantic – it doesn’t seem to have become warmer recently. The two places that I am familiar with (the west of England and eastern Canada) have recently had relatively cold winters and cool summers.

Anecdotal and unscientific I know, but I’m guessing that most people form opinions on global warming based on personal experience – which is why climate expert Mojib Latif of Kiel University in Germany is concerned about what he believes to be happening in the North Atlantic.

Despite relentless manmade climate change, Latif believes the North Atlantic is actually cooling thanks to something called the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation – which seems to occur with a period of about 60–80 years.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Latif said that this oscillation could be significant enough to make it cooler in the North Atlantic over the next ten years. In other words, people in the rich and carbon intensive countries that border the North Atlantic could be lulled into thinking that there is no problem. Until the oscillation turns and it gets hotter very quickly.

You can listen to the interview here.

Hamish Johnston, physicsworld.com

Posted by Liz Kalaugher on September 18, 2009 2:16 PM | Permalink