I know this is going to be controversial and am not pointing a finger only at the U.S. but other countries on this planet with minimal viability for human habitation.  Am just trying to understand the reluctance of some countries to accept the obvious fact of Climate Change and the dangers it presents.

In my life time have been involved with small scale farming both in the U.S. and Europe and have noticed the difference between trying to farm on poorer soils and difficult climate in the U.S. compared to here in Europe.  This only seems easily possible in the States with the use of chemicals and pesticides, whereas in Europe organic farming is much more viable.  Am sure there are many people growing organically but it is harder with the natural pests and poor soil, or at least that was my experience.  

Maybe the reason for our current situation goes back to the time that people started settling the United States, Australia and other areas of the world that were very underpopulated. There was a reason for this under population. Except for the native indians who thrived living a hunter gatherer existence there were very few people living in the North American continent. This also applies to the Australian continent. These were not parts of the planet that could naturally sustain a large population living a formal settled, agricultural existence as had been done for centuries in the more amenable climates and soils of Europe and Africa.  Maybe these lands were better farmed as the original native people farmed.  Using permaculture where the soils were not disturbed to a great extent and a more nomadic lifestyle.

In order to live and thrive in hostile climates and conditions the original settlers from Europe had to conquer the land. Natural fauna and flora eliminated so that the new settlers could live the kind of existence they had been used to in Europe. From then on more and more abuse was heaped on their new continents. It became very necessary to use fossil fuels with the resultant pollution in order survive there. No wonder the U.S. will not contemplate changing the way they live as this would threaten their very existence on the their continent. It is not that they are greedy or uncaring but that they have to live like that in order to survive on their land. It is not the poor of the world who will be the first victims of climate change but people living in places where human existence is not viable without polluting and destroying much of the natural environment they live in. There is a reason you found these empty lands waiting for you but by trying to live in great numbers in areas of the world that are not viable for such population.  Before the recent climatic changes people succeeded with the massive use of fossil fuels and chemicals to live in these areas but now the climate is changing these people seem to be the first to face the real challenges of drought, storms and water shortages.  But to change the way they live would mean too greater a sacrifice and threaten their ability to live in their lands.

This is just a theory I have been thinking about while trying to explain why some people refuse to take this issue seriously. Would be glad to hear what others think.