Nowhere moreso than our understanding of the complex web of the ecosystems that support us, and humans ability to live in denial of consequences will this issue test our ultimate adaptability, resilience and intellectual capacity.
The earth's planetary system has reached a climatic stability in the last tens of thousands of years only that has enabled life as we now know it to flourish.
It appears more and more likely that the complex interactions of global temperature, water cycling, ocean currents and terrestrial carbon sinks will only be retrospectively understood once we have moved beyond an ability to change our habits sufficiently to prevent changes to that currently stable living platform.
There are plenty of examples from the last three thousand years of large well organised and technically proficient societies that have ultimately failed as a direct consequence of overrunning the capacity of their environment to support them.
The difference between now and then is simply one of scale.
The primary concern of climate change is that by overwhelming our biosphere with what appears to be a 'small' man and womankind induced temperature change, we will push ecosystems which we are dependant on to tipping points producing rapid irreversible change.
These changes will deny us the benefits we currently substantially enjoy.
Benefits that have enabled our population to expand well beyond sustainable limits once the energy of fossil fuels, being the primary source of climate change that we are responsible for , is reduced.
This site has already discussed ways to address this issue. The initial focus has to be on reducing unnecessary consumption and putting effort into planning and designing where we need to be standing in terms of both technology, and our expectations.
It is unfortunate that 'Business as usual (BAU)' are so insistent on protecting the patch of ground currently occupied that they fail to see the opportunity surrounding possible changes.
Indeed almost all of the aspects of life that people and the media in particular promote as being worthy such as family and community type values are likely to be enhanced by movement away from the business model of growth at all costs and a preoccupation with consuming and wasting goods.
A conscious change of focus would see greatly enhanced use of public transport. It would see the re-use in some areas of waterways to transport goods. It would see a lot more localisation of the production of economic necessities and associated smaller business interaction. It would see cycling become a mainstay of close travel in cities.
Much work is likely to be done through the internet which needs to be pervasive and cheap.
Huge research and development needs to be undertaken to determine an appropriate and largely eventually solar based energy base.
If this sounds like 'growth', then it may well be. However it will be at the expense of large parts of our economy that need to be retired over time.
It could create an exciting atmosphere of hope, interest and vision for a new and better society.