The surface temps matter because they are a key basis for estimates of climate sensitivity in the models used to make projections. (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
This new study found that accounting for the efficacy of historical forcings changes the best estimate of climate sensitivity from analysis of the instrumental period. (niskanencenter.org)
What's more, the slowdown meant that simple estimates of climate sensitivity based on the recent temperature record were lower. (newscientist.com)