1. 100% of the problem that climatologists discuss is heat from the sun, trapped, by greenhouse gasses that we release. As you rightly point out, we can't control the sun, so we must control how much insulating gas we put in the atmosphere.
2. Even it China cuts is emissions, with the USA outputting more than 4 times per person, would that be enough? How exactly is it that China spends more on reducing emissions while USA spends zero? This is a collective action problem (much like CFC's were in the 1980s, or not peeing in the lake you depend on for drinking water), it requires grown-up behavior from all nations now so as to no despoil the inheritance we might leave to our children.
1. They don't talk about it because it is not the primary cause of the warming we see. [0]
2. China and India have agreed to reduce emissions, as part of the Paris agreement. 45% of all solar installed worldwide in 2016 was installed in China. Every country needs to do its part. [1]
If you're (rightly) concerned about climate change there is a lot you can do.
Here are three good resources.
Bret Victor's "What can a technologist do about climate change" is wonderful tech overview [0].
"Drawdown", a recent book which enumerates and stack-ranks the wide array of techniques we have which return the atmosphere to a safe composition. [1]
Finally, a self-pitch, we just launched our new site, ClimateAction.tech [2] with a guide for technology employees who are interested in making their companies more sustainable (feedback welcome, @samp or the email on the site)
Elected officials follow public opinion, and large-scale protest is an effective way to demonstrate and shape opinion. Join other technologists at the Climate March in 2 weeks (April 29). https://techsector.peoplesclimate.org/
Something needs to change, we're on the wrong track, and now is the time for you to take action (plus, meet nice people!).
It was alarming before when he said it, and then alarming then he followed up and did it, for exactly the same reasons. The scientific community is clear & unambiguous: this is a huge problem now with civilization-level consequences, and the political answer is "this is all a fairy tale, let's not look into it any more". Alarming is 100% correct. It should alarm everyone.
You mean, other than the insane people at: Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Oracle, HP, Uber... Clearly some successful entrepreneurs find that the 13 cents to still be worth it to have access to the talent and ecosystem. Perhaps there is something about liberal policies that encourages more successful entrepreneurism. Massachusetts, with best-in-the-nation insurance coverage thanks to RomneyCare also as an outsized tech scene.
I mean, you say they are not idiots, but also that they are knowingly destroying the ecosystem on which supports all life on their planet. Which is kinda like knowing the brakes on your car are not working but being smart enough to cheat an inspection. Is that actually smart?
(disclosure, I work at Google, but not in any way related to this project)