We need a more targeted program of climate research to settle major scientific problems. The future growth of atmospheric CO2 depends crucially on estimates of residence time and the amount of fossil fuels likely to be used for energy production. Some researchers suggest an 8x pre-industrial value, while others doubt whether CO2 will even double. The temperature record of the last hundred years is of poor quality and shows many discrepancies.
Surface temperatures disagree with recent measurements from satellites and balloons.
The urban heat island effect may skew the record. Prehistoric climate fluctuations , on timescales as rapid as a decade, are prevalent as judged from the data from tree rings, sediments, and ice cores. Such climate events are not explained by existing models, nor can current GCMs account for El-Nino events, the North Atlantic Oscillation, and other contemporary rapid changes in climate. It seems likely, however, that increased evaporation from the ocean may lead to more rapid accumulation of polar ice and a lowering of sea level. Severe storms and hurricanes have diminished in the past 50 years.