Despite record levels of greenhouse gas emissions, global surface temperatures have risen at a much slower rate over the past 15 years than the 20 years prior. Scientists are struggling to explain a warming plateau.
The conclusions and predictions of climate scientists are among the most scrutinized scientific work in the world. So the enduring mystery of why global warming has slowed for extended periods twice in recent history is a significant one; opening the door to climate change denialists.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, and again for the last 15 years, global warming slowed markedly. In both instances, scientists remain unable to accurately accredit the cause of this climate change plateau. One of many proffered explanations is the 'deep-ocean theory', suggesting that surface heat is being trapped by the ocean through shifts in winds and currents. Evidence also points to air pollution from dirty factories that could be blocking sunlight.
“[I]n any event,” says Justin Gillis, “computer forecasts of climate change suggest that pauses in warming lasting a couple of decades should not surprise us.”
When the prior lull came to an end, it was followed by “an extremely rapid warming of the planet,” he notes. “So, if past is prologue, this current plateau will end at some point, too, and a new era of rapid global warming will begin.”
“We might one day find ourselves looking back on the crazy weather of the 2010s with a deep yearning for those halcyon days.”
FULL STORY: What to Make of a Warming Plateau

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods
A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown
Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions