“Most of warming since 1960 (about 85 percent) has happened in the oceans. Thus, in terms of a single indicator of global warming, change in ocean heat content is the most appropriate.

An analysis of a 42-year record of change in ocean heat content (from 1962 to 2003) shows that over half of the total increase during that period occurred in the last 10 years of the period (1993- 2003). That is, the rate of change of ocean heat content has risen sharply over the past 15 years. So,not only is the heat content of the oceans increasing, it is increasing faster”.

Now, this is right at the core of the whole climate change debate. As Dr Trenberth said in a well-quoted email – “We can’t account for the missing [warming] and it’s a travesty that we can’t”.

But Minister Wong thought she had found it. She says ocean heat was rocketing upwards until 2003, but you say it’s been pointing downwards since 2004. Who is right? Did the trend flip just as ARGOS were introduced? Or was there a problem with the old measurement methods?