⚠️This fact has been debunked
This claim is completely false. NASA and NOAA data shows that global temperatures have continued to rise since 2002, not cool. 2024 was the warmest year on record at 2.32°F above the 20th-century average, and the 10 warmest years have all occurred in the past decade (2015-2024). The warming rate has actually accelerated: 0.36°F per decade since 1982 compared to slower rates in earlier periods. Meanwhile, CO2 levels rose from 365 ppm in 2002 to over 422 ppm in 2024. This claim appears to be climate misinformation.
Temperatures have been cooling since 2002, even as carbon dioxide has continued to rise.
Did Temperatures Cool Since 2002? Debunking the Myth
You might have heard the claim that Earth's temperatures have been cooling since 2002, even as carbon dioxide keeps rising. It sounds like it could poke a hole in climate science, right? There's just one problem: it's completely false. The data tells a dramatically different story.
What the Numbers Actually Show
According to NASA and NOAA—the world's leading climate monitoring agencies—global temperatures haven't cooled at all since 2002. In fact, they've done the opposite. 2024 was the warmest year on record, clocking in at 2.32°F (1.18°C) above the 20th-century average. Not just warm—the warmest by a wide margin.
And it's not a fluke. The 10 hottest years in recorded history have all occurred in the past decade, from 2015 to 2024. That's not a cooling trend—that's a bonfire.
The Accelerating Warming Trend
Not only are temperatures rising, but they're rising faster than before. Since 1982, the planet has warmed at a rate of 0.36°F (0.20°C) per decade—more than three times faster than the warming rate in earlier decades. The pace is picking up, not slowing down.
Meanwhile, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have climbed from 365 parts per million (ppm) in 2002 to over 422 ppm in 2024. The increase in 2024 alone—3.75 ppm—was the largest one-year jump on record. CO2 and temperature are both heading in the same direction: up.
Where Did This Myth Come From?
Climate myths like this often cherry-pick short timeframes or exploit natural variability. For example, if someone chose 1998 (an unusually hot year due to El Niño) as a starting point, they could make it look like cooling occurred in the years immediately after—even though the long-term trend was still upward.
Scientists counter this by looking at long-term patterns, not just year-to-year blips. When you zoom out, the signal is unmistakable: Earth is warming rapidly, and human-produced greenhouse gases are the primary driver.
Why This Matters
Misinformation like this doesn't just confuse people—it can delay action on climate change. Understanding the real data is crucial:
- Every major climate monitoring agency (NASA, NOAA, Berkeley Earth, UK Met Office) confirms the same warming trend
- Five independent temperature records all show peaks and valleys in sync, with rapid recent warming
- The science is consistent, transparent, and continuously updated
The bottom line? Temperatures haven't cooled since 2002. They've soared. And the evidence isn't subtle—it's screaming from every thermometer, satellite, and buoy monitoring our planet.