BTW, I think it's irresponsible to propose legislation and regulation regarding cutting back fossil fuel energy without adequate means of generating cheap alternative power. Fossil fuels remain the most cost efficient method and an attempt to lower our usage will just push more Americans into poverty (and death) and accomplish nothing as foreign interests pick up the demand from America's lost productivity.
Took me a while to understand that graph, aka the last thousand years are the very tiny span on the right and why the majority of the graph was under that line. That being said, except for one small portion about 110,000 years ago, the "modern era" looks nothing like the rest of the graph. Also, a vast plethora of climate scientists agree that climate change is happening. Without sounding dismissive, but do you have a degree related to the science of climate? So many people look at their opinion as fact when they know nothing more than the propaganda they want to hear.
And that being said, I personally feel it to be more irresponsible to see a potential cataclysmic event and do nothing. Worst case, we die. If act on climate change and eliminate fossil fuel, maybe it's a hoax, but the clean air provided fixes a whole lot of other issues. There are at least benefits to it. Doing nothing keeps us on a potential catastrophe and holds in place countless medical issues. We can at least get rid of one by encouraging clean energy. Maybe it's because I've lived in SoCal for far too long now but I've seen the central valley and LA. I'm sorry but I would do whatever I could to change the air and get it clean again.
To your point regarding foreign powers, if America says we will do nothing, do you expect any of them to lead the way? We may not be the largest producer (or at least getting there) but we've lead the way for years. If we as a country choose to ignore this problem, why should they do any better? To be a leader, one actually has to lead. We have to show others that it can be done and how it can be done. It takes risks and it takes guts. If one of the largest countries out there says ah fuck it, what incentive do the others have to even try? That would be irresponsible.