For your perusal, Bill McKibben's recent article in Rolling Stone on the culpability of the fossil-fuel industry for the paralysis of serious action on climate change:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719
Quoting Naomi Klein: " . . . [W]ith the fossil-fuel industry, wrecking the planet is their business model. It's what they do."
The only country I can think of that has anywhere near this kind of organized opposition to action on climate change is Australia. But there, it's in large measure because the Australian government is actually doing something about it! They've actually instituted a carbon tax (and refund), which is making the coal producers extremely miffed.
In this country, on the other hand, we have one of two major political parties who are simply in complete denial of the science on the subject. (But then, they're in complete denial of the science on evolution as well.)
How to change this state of affairs is a conundrum. But McKibben thinks that identifying an enemy-- the fossil-fuel industry-- could be a powerful catalyst. He likens their denial and obfuscation to that of the tobacco industry back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. And he also suggests that a disinvestment campaign, a la the one waged against apartheid South Africa in the 80s and 90s would be an effective weapon:
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