text: As shown, the 120-month (decadal) trends have been slightly negative since about 2011. In other words, global temperatures have been coolingslightly. Working back in time, they came close to reaching a zero trend (no warming or cooling) for the period ending about January 1997, but they dont quite reach it. That means we have to go back another decade, to January 1987, until we can see the decadal trends reach zero again, but they dont drop appreciably below it. Its not until the late 1970s that a significant decade-long cooling period exists.