I suppose not demonizing people allows for more productive discussions. Ideally if you can get them to hear and see the evidence that the Climate Crisis is here, now. Perhaps they will face that reality and, like your concrete mogul, pursue solutions.

They have a limited time for this to happen. Soon enough, people are going to want to hunt them down, put them on trial, and publicly execute them.

In many of the Classic Maya cities there are hastily erected walls. Not around the city. Around the Elite residential area. Around the palaces.

In several of these cities we have found the bodies of unburied dead in these areas. Along with signs of burning and broken weapons.

This all takes place in the period right after 900AD. When the Climate changed and a 100 year period of intense drought started.

When the Elites failed them. When they could not bring the rains and control the weather. The people turned on them and massacred them.

Leaving the bodies of men, women, children, and infants on the ground where they fell. Then burning their palaces around their corpses.

If Elites will not act out of "Enlightened Self Interest". Perhaps the alternative should be made clear to them.