I believe the early response to climate change in America will come through the insurance industry. It is my understanding that many coastal areas, particularly parts of Louisiana and Florida are becoming uninsurable, mostly due to hurricanes. This article in an insurance trade publication discusses how insurance costs have gone from 2% to 8% of a projects cost. While this is a steep financial cost, it also brings up the point: do you really want to live in a place with these sorts of risks?

Developers Pulling Plug on South Florida Projects Due to Insurance Costs