On a NASA teleconference, Gavin Schmidt, Director of GISS, said this record is "Not solely due to El Nino event." GISS calculates about 40% of record is due to El Nino and 60% due to other factors, including very, very strong Arctic warming."
Other things he said:
"The trend is very clear, and it's due to greenhouse gases."
"2017 is not going to be as warm as 2016." [due to starting the year in a neutral or La Nina condition]
"If 2016 sets a record, it will be the third record year in a row, which is unprecedented in our record." (99% chance 2016 sets a record.)
"May have some cooling in coming years, but the trends are going to continue, obviously."
"Paris thresholds are long-term equilibrium temperatures changes.....We are dancing with those lower [Paris] targets."
"No statistically robust that there is a strong acceleration" of warming. [Natural noise too hard to disaggregate. Natural trends pretty stable....] "It's premature to talk about acceleration in the 21st century."
For Arctic sea ice: