One interesting strand of the discussion of global warming is, and will continue to be, how to make money off of it. Wherever there is human activity, the entrpreneurs and marketeers will be sure to follow. And, if you’re a sympathetic person such as the Paul Hawken of Natural Capitalism, you won’t necessarily see an ethical issue with making a viable for-profit company out of the kinds of things communities, individuals, and businesses will need as climate chifts, weather patterns change, oceans rise, deserts expands, food and fuel supplies change, and it just gets damn hot too frequently.

For instance, The Economist has a piece called Cleaning Up. In it, they outline several growth opportunities for climate entrepreneurs and opportunists:

• Energy R&D in general. Energy companies invest very little, compared to consumer companies (the article uses the example of Pet Food), and they need to invest more in the many possible technologies
• Fuel cells
• Cellulosic Ethanol
• Equipment replacement, as utilities move towards cleaner techniques and carbon capture
• Advising funds on cleaner investments
• Carbon trading

Yeah, it is a boring list. But at least the investment industry is mulling these things over in small ways.