Temperature and sea level have been rising for 20,000 years - linking it to man-made CO2 emissions needs more than higher temperatures (correlation is not necessarily causality). However long lasting (20-100 years) temperature cooling while CO2 emissions continued would make AGW less likely so pauses, slow downs or reversals are important. Separating the natural from the man-made trends/cycles is at the centre of the 'discussion'.
Understanding never mind predicting the world's climate is complex and imo poorly understood. It is important to keep an open mind and not over estimate our current knowledge to guide future actions.
