This is a key problem fuelling climate change skepticism. People look at the structure of academia and notice that the way to get money in such a system is by c

This is a key problem fuelling climate change skepticism. People look at the structure of academia and notice that the way to get money in such a system is by convincing committees of your peers that your research is more important than other people's research. And saying "my research could literally save the world from total destruction" is the trump card in such a game, thus people are highly incentivised to play it.