The climate change conference held by the United Nations in Paris, France has recently ended with leaders of various nations agreeing on a common goal to reduce the effects of global warming.
However, climate change scientists criticized the agreement with some saying that the plan cannot be successfully implemented globally.
On Saturday, the leaders of the world drafted an agreement stating that each country will do its part in limiting the increase in global temperature by 2 degrees Celsius, according to the Independent. Many believe that at this rate, the world will be able to stop the onset of global warming's devastating effects such as rising sea levels, extreme drought and other severe weather conditions.
Despite reaching a unified agreement, some experts on climate change criticized the plan for being too vague. Others also noted that reaching the targeted temperature level is not enough to stop global warming.
One of those who lashed out at the plan is James Hansen, a former NASA scientists and one of the leading experts in climate change. According to Hansen, the drafted agreement is just filled with empty promises and lacks proper action from the participating countries.
"It's a fraud really, a fake," he told The Guardian. "It's just bulls*** for them to say 'We'll have a 2C warming target and then try to do a little better every five years.' It's just worthless words."
"There is no action, just promises," he added. "As long as fossil fuels appear to be the cheapest fuels out there, they will be continued to be burned."
For Hanson, the only way countries will be able to successfully limit temperature rise is by implementing taxation laws on greenhouse gases. By doing so, industries will be forced to find new alternatives to fossil fuels and ultimately bring down their carbon emissions.
Andrew Jones, the co-director of the Climate Interactive initiative, also criticized the results of the conference. Although a target was set, he said that the nations failed to provide a detailed plan on how the goal will be achieved.
"It's kind of like this: My friends and I have committed to losing 300 pounds but are failing so far," he said according to the Press Herald. "Instead of eating less and exercising more, I propose that we lose 350."
Although an agreement was already drafted during the conference, its contents will still have to go through a review process before being finalized by the countries that participated in the summit. Hopefully, its final version will include the concrete steps on how the issue of climate change will be resolved.
