Climatologists at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies have said that last year was the Earth’s coolest year since 2000.

However, the climatologists were also quick to say that this does not mean that global warming is no longer a threat. Despite 2008 being the coolest year in eight years, it was still the ninth warmest year since continuous instrumental records were started in 1880; and the ten warmest years have all occurred between 1997 and 2008, the Environment New Service stated.   

Dr James Hansen of the Goddard Institute explained that the cooler temperature last year was partly due to the Sun’s passing through a solar minimum, defined as a low point in a ten to twelve year electromagnetic cycle of activity.