What should we DO about climate change?

[Alpha]

First, a disclaimer. I don't want this thread to become a debate on whether climate change is occurring, or whether it is human induced or not. If you want to debate that, there's a few threads you can necropost in. That debate is for the 20th Century. We're beyond it. As far as I, the vast majority of scientists of the relevant disciplines, and the Arctic ice cap are concerned, it's happening now, it's really bad news, and irrespective of how much of it we caused, we have to do something about it.

Some questions to jog the brain (you don't have to respond to them):

Do you think we should cut emissions? How rapidly? Through what mechanisms (voluntary, emissions trading, taxes on carbon)?

Do you think we can't or shouldn't do anything about climate change---but instead should focus on adaptation to its effects?

Do you think we should rely on technology? Carbon capture and storage (CCS) sounds pretty cool, but can we rely on it? Is greater energy efficiency the key--doing more with less?

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I intend to explain my perspective in my responses, but I will say that there aren't very good signs. The UK government spends P0.0012 billion per annum (P0.20 per UK person per year) on renewable energy R&D support. In 2006 it spent P5 billion on military hardware (P83 per person per year). In October 2008, the US government bailed out Wall Street to $700 billion; $2000 billion is the cost to Americans of the Iraq war. Priorities.

[P = Pounds, given I don't have one of them buttons].