Climate severity alone is not enough to prompt global climate action. A study using a unique method found that waiting for a crisis to spur action is not effective. The research combined data on extreme weather events, climate beliefs, and country-level climate action to show that global unity on mitigation is unlikely. This has big implications for adaptation efforts, especially if uncertainty about the link between global warming and extreme weather events leads to inaction. Stakeholders may need to focus on local adaptation efforts rather than relying on national and global policies. The study highlights the need for urgent action at all levels to address climate change.