You are lacking a sense of proportion. The Vietnam War was big for Americans - compared to the universal destruction of our climate it is nothing.

I remember the Vietnam War well. It seemed to last forever, but we knew it would end eventually, whether ten years or twenty. The world was prosperous. For a short time, we actually tried to clean up the environment.

Once we have broken our climate, this will last for the rest of history. It will affect every single human on Earth.

So explain to us how your rosy scenario happens. Every day we emit more carbon dioxide than the previous; clear more forests for livestock; cause 150 species to become extinct. And all of these trends simply accelerate.

To fight climate change and the decimation of our biosphere, the most affluent humans - that's you and me - would have to reduce our consumption by about 90%.

My wife and I have made a serious attempt to do that, but I know that this is purely for our own diversion. Almost no one else is going give up anything. Perhaps someone might spend $0.50 more for a package with a green label that's a tiny bit less destructive. And we will walk right into doom.

You say:

The problems we are facing today are, by comparison, less dangerous and more amenanble to corrective action.

So let’s see it. How is this going to happen? Just a sketch is fine, details aren’t necessary.

At some point, your plan will require all affluent humans to effectively give up most of their wealth, voluntarily. It won’t happen.