But you're both right. Alcaray is correct in saying the curve is getting steeper, but you are also correct in pointing out that the change in slope is quite small, and is probably either random, temporary or insignificant, or at the very least, may not really make much difference over a human lifetime. Its a perfect example of how two people will interpret the same data to see in it what they want to see, particularly when it is perceived as a means of either verifying or debunking a controversial conclusion.

Again, the major thing to take away from this is that the CO2 concentration,is rising, and rising fast; literally as we watch it. This should give us cause for alarm. At the bottom of this thread TB and I are having a similar pointless argument, for similar reasons. He feels his obscure Scandinavian bog data totally invalidates the ice core evidence the AGW people are always bringing up. Maybe he's right, but I doubt it.

The important thing to remember is that mean CO2 concentration is approaching 400 ppm, a level that the core people say is inordinately high, and even TB's graph plainly shows was a number only surpassed once, briefly, in the 2000 year period covered by his study. The CO2 is risng fast, the ice is dropping even faster, and we continue to pump carbon into the atmosphere in ever- increasing amounts. It is not unreasonable to observe that there is a strong correlation. Neither is it unreasonable to suggest there is a direct causal relation.

By itself, this may not be significant, but when coupled with all the other lines of evidence, ice cores, glaciers, pollen studies, and scores of others, the only conclusions one can arrive at are that either the world is quickly warming up and industrial interests are trying to protect their profits by covering it up, or that science and government are deliberately and maliciously trying to convince us it is warming in order to secure government grants, further academic careers, raise taxes, and take away our freedom.

I guess you know which one I'm most likely to believe.