Is halting climate change beyond man's ability? @ Tim3003: Fair enough. The time and prerequisites for the tipping point are issues for climate scientists. As for the human response to climate change, or the relative lack thereof, I am pessimistic.
Climate change is already flooding the coasts of low-lying countries like Bangladesh. Water is also getting high in Venice, Italy. Most of the hottest years on record occurred in the 21st century. Killer storms are becoming more frequent and severe.
Yet none of the big carbon emitters, including the USA and China, seem to be doing much about this. One reason is that Big Oil can't wait for the Arctic ice to melt and open up the Arctic Ocean floor for oil drilling. Another reason is that the public is being disinformed by Big Oil and Republican noisemakers. Still another reason is the denial that springs from fear. Not many people talk about the fact that our civilization can't sustain itself in its present form. But the popularity of post-apocalyptic fiction, like "The Walking Dead," may be a sign of this fear IMO.