I've been thinking about this, and while it has a lot of value, I don't think it offers a full explanation. For example, Germany's social changes go both ways, not just what was imposed on them after WWII. Their crisis following WWI led to the rise of the Nazis, which is a major social change in response to a crisis. Additionally, WWII did not only change German and Japanese societies, but also the rest of Europe. War was the norm between European countries, but now it has become practically unthinkable. I think ideology, circumstances (crises, stability, etc), and capital all contribute to innovation. For example, Saudi Arabia does not innovate much, despite having significant capital.
Why wouldn't those who benefit from climate change not act to take advantage of said benefit? I think they would. The Netherlands lie mostly below sea-levels, so they constructed a massive series of levies to stay afloat. Why wouldn't other developed countries do the same in response to the same threat?