Global warming is having major effects on the Yukon, shown here. (Duane Froese / University of Alberta) (CN) — As climate change receives more attention across the globe, it’s crucial that scientists and researchers have the most accurate data possible on global temperatures. Researchers out of China’s Sun Yat-Sen University released Thursday a newly merged global surface temperature dataset to assist in climate research. Part of the difficulty in creating an accurate picture is the lack of observational data in some regions such as the Arctic or high-altitude areas like the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, making it difficult to assess temperature variations adequately and consistently across the globe.