It has been years since our population has been studying global warming and how it affects and deteriorates the earth. Nations have agreed upon limiting global warming to a tolerable level but new studies show the efforts may not be enough. As reported by the New York Times, the article “Scientists Warn of Perilous Climate Shift Within Decades, Not Centuries,” explains the effects the world would suffer as a result of global warming. From big storms to the disintegration of polar ice sheets, the effects would be very dangerous.

An article was published this past week by a European science journal explaining the effects of burning fossil fuels and how it has provoked a climate shift over the years.As James Hansen, the leader of the research and retired NASA climate scientist, has explained if we do not make a change now, the effects may not be reversible.

The paper has been controversial amongst the environmental community as some say the findings explain past puzzling episodes in the earth while others disagree and are unconvinced by the findings. As Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Penn State University, explains “They conflict with the mainstream understanding of climate change to the point where the standard of proof is quite high.”

Nevertheless, most scientists agree that society is not making enough changes to prevent a disaster for future generations. Even with the agreement sign last year at the Paris convention, it is not enough to limit global warming to the degree most scientists see necessary. As the evidence shows, even though nations agreed in 2009 to limit planetary warming to 2 degrees Celsius, the earth has already warmed almost 1 degree Celsius. Overall, the research explains that many of the predictions previously made are not accurate as the effects may be worse and occur much more rapidly than predicted.

Gillis, Justin. “Scientists Warn of Perilous Climate Shift Within Decades, Not Centuries.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 22 Mar. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.