I believe that our climate is warming. I've seen it with my own eyes on trips to Alaska, Nova Scotia and Alberta. Having said that, Europe did go through a little ice age, the end of which opened up shipping routes for the Vikings. I also know from many sources that winemaking existed in Scandanavia before this little ice age, and now has returned to that region.

This may be the case: global warming is happening everywhere, but it's more pronounced in the North. And melting icebergs and glaciers make for better PR than say one degree warmer temperatures in the deserts of Saudi Arabia.