As detailed in a Guardian article, one of the most prominent scientists addressing climate change, James Hansen, is not happy with the COP21 agreement and in fact calls it a “fraud”.
“It’s a fraud really, a fake,” he says, rubbing his head. “It’s just bullshit 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.
H/T ZhenRen for pointing out that an “all-star international panel of climate scientists delivered a far harsher judgment” in line with Hansen’s comments. As reported in TheNation article ZR linked in the comments,
“The current text is weaker than the final agreement that came out of [the failed] Copenhagen [summit in 2009],” said Kevin Anderson, deputy director of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research in the UK,
…the text does not even contain the words “fossil fuels”
...“It is not consistent with science.”
...”Negotiators are praising this text as ‘practical,’ but for whom? For poor, non-white people in the southern Hemisphere, it falls somewhere between dangerous and deadly. But we still have 24 hours here to pull something more serious together.”
Unfortunately, 24 hours was not enough time.
In related news Bernie Sanders was more moderate in his assessment, stating
While this is a step forward it goes nowhere near far enough.
Hillary Clinton stated the agreement was
a historic step forward in meeting one of the greatest challenges of the 21st Century - the global crisis of climate change.
Martin O’Malley tweeted
Congrats #COP21 on the #ParisAgreement. The pact sets ambitious goals to fight climate change. As POTUS, I will hold the world to them.
World response was gauged in this Reuter’s article, including a number of viewpoints such as
JACK GERARD, PRESIDENT AND CEO, AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE
...
We will closely scrutinize the COP 21 agreement to see how it references the U.S. model of reducing emissions through technological innovation and increased use of natural gas.
and
JEFFREY SACHS, DIRECTOR OF THE EARTH INSTITUTE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
The diplomats have done their job: the Paris Agreement points the world in the right direction, and with sophistication and clarity. It does not, however, ensure implementation, which necessarily remains the domain of politicians, businessmen, scientists, engineers, and civil society.
My two cents… COP21 is a step in the right direction, but insufficient. A much stronger agreement will be needed to slow climate change, let alone reverse it.
