If someone wakes up and changes the governments, whatever the new ruling system is will be a government and will need models to choose the best way forward. So I think their statement is literally true (and inevitable conditioning on humanity surviving for a few more millennia). Note that the populace is more aware than ever, and getting more informed over time on climate change.

It’s unlikely that the climate modeling apparatus has siphoned off the people required to convince or force governments to act reasonably. Lift where you can reach: I think the research is not pointless.