"State of the Climate: Hottest Decade on Record"

"The past decade was the hottest ever recorded, part of an unequivocal pattern of warming dating back 50 years, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report declared on Wednesday.

The annual 'State of the Climate' report drew on the findings more than 300 climate scientists in 48 countries who measured 10 separate planet-wide features, including air temperatures, sea temperatures, humidity, Arctic sea ice, glaciers and spring snow cover in the Northern hemisphere.

'The records come from many institutions worldwide,' Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the agency’s administrator, said in a statement. 'They use data collected from diverse sources, including satellites, weather balloons, weather stations, ships, buoys and field surveys.

'These independently produced lines of evidence all point to the same conclusion: our planet is warming,' she said."

John Collins Rudolf reports for the New York Times' Green blog July 28, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Last Decade Warmest on Record, Indicators in Decline" (AP)

Developing Nations See Cancun Climate Deal as Tough to Reach (Reuters)