text_1: Global surface temperatures have been flat for 16 years.
text_2: "Steve Goreham said ""Global surface temperatures have been flat for 16 years."" The databases we checked generally show small increases during that period, but not enough to be statistically significant, thanks to a short timeframe and a starting point that included an unusually warm year in 1998. That's why, at the same time, NOAA data clearly show that global temperatures in 15 of the last 16 years have been the hottest recorded. So Goreham is correct that the temperature trend has been flat, but it's flat at record highs. Because his statement reflects cherry-picked numbers and leaves out important details that would give a very different impression. (If you have a claim you’d like PolitiFact Rhode Island to check, e-mail us at [email protected] And follow us on Twitter: @politifactri.)"