Since the very warm surface temperatures of 1998 which followed the strong 1997 - 98 El NinÌ o, the increase in average surface temperature has slowed relative to the previous decade of rapid temperature increases, with more of the excess heat being stored in the oceans. (steynonline.com)
That is not a particularly happy thought, since the implication is that action to stop emissions (to raise my personal issue, replacing coal power with nuclear) would cause a large and very rapid temperature increase. (tamino.wordpress.com)
However, as experts who were denied participation in the IPCC process began to examine what was said they identified earlier warmer periods, especially the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), and more rapid temperature increases. (drtimball.com)