Actually, now, the connection between sunspots and climate has been made clear: Svensmark has given empirical support for the role of cosmic rays in cloud formation. More sunspots mean more solar magnetism, which in turn means less cosmic rays hitting earth, and thus less cloud formation. Cloud formation has a cooling effect. Fewer sunspots, more clouds, cooler climate.
Observations during the present minimum in sunspot activity have found an increase in noctilucent clouds correlating with the current (relative) lack of sunspots and the downtrend in temperatures since 1998.
Actually, despite my dubious take on *any* computer modeling of chaotic dyanmical systems, I’d like to see what a general circulation model that includes Svensmark’s effect, the correct negative feedback effects from oceans as per Lindzen, and the Pacific Decadal Cycle, and uses Miskolczi’s realistics boundary conditions for the solutions to the PDE’s governing the greenhouse effect (to name just the four most obvious omissions/errors from the AGW-supporting general circulation models) would predict about the effect of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
I suspect it would show they haven’t done much so far (Svensmark thinks 85% of the warming from the 1850 to 1998 is due to his effect alone), and that either catastrophic greenhouse warming is flat out impossible (Miskolczi’s model predicts this) or catastrophic global warming due to human activities would require a *massive increase* in greenhouse gas emissions from present levels outstripping what would be expected even if the whole world reached US/Japanese levels of development run entirely on fossil fuel and biomass energy.
Which brings up another point to bring up "next time you're in an argument."
The Greenpeace Warmist here keeps telling Monckton that she reads all the papers, etc...(as does Monckton.) The question to ask is, "which Scientific Symposia or Societies are you subscribed to to read the literature?"
Fact is, very little of this stuff is available to the general public for free. Even the most informed folks would be getting third- or fourth-hand distillations.