i would not say that "the people" have rejected it, rather some of our representatives fail to come to terms with the science. Either by choice or by foolishness.
But yes quite interesting that the uber-rich in this circumstance step up to the bat, perhaps they have vested interest, just as those who claim its a "hoax//inconclusive"
But it isn't the role of the representatives to come to terms with science, it's their role to come to terms with the will of "The People" (the tangled mess of what that means). I think it could be argued that the will of "The People" isn't to enact strong action to fight climate change. It's more to retain jobs in old energy industries and procrastinate until something absolutely dramatic and visceral impacts their day-to-day.
I'd suppose the Achille's heel of "The People" is their short-sight. You need big minds with big wallets to see and act on the long game.
It may actually be easier for Gates to pledge $1B to fix the earth than for a single mom to vote "Yes, make my gas $12/gallon" to do the same.
It may not be "big minds" or "short sight" but the fact that the majority of the populace is expending so much thought and effort to just get by that they don't really have the extra cycles to worry about future calamities. We kind of used up all of our populaces' reserves for that sort of thing on income inequality. The people at the top are the only ones with any "propellant" left to maneuver.
There are big minds without power/wealth and also far sighted people without. You pretty much need both in order to do something significant which doesn't align with the overall will of the general public.
oh absolutely the representatives should be held accountable for their opinions. I would like to see in the upcoming senate, how climate change is going to be taken, and how the votes are run.
As far as the will of the public, i don't think that "saving the environment" will force a shift of peoples votes, i think that natural disaster / destruction will gather peoples attention enough to make a push.
It's extremely difficult to look at long term, esp when you're living paycheck to mouth... I wonder if the majority of people in these old industry are within that space.
