This is a misrepresentation of at least most "progressive" positions on climate change. The point of reducing CO2 emissions is not to reverse atmospheric and ocean warming, but to limit it - to contain the damage, not prevent or undo it (which is not, at this point, possible).
Obviously, we're going to have to invest resources to limit the damage from rising sea levels, from increased flooding (and drought), from more intense hurricanes, etc. But the more we limit the temperature increase, by slowing our addition of CO2 to the atmosphere, the less damage we need to repair. This isn't an either-or situation, it's both-and.
Just my opinion, but it seems to me that most of the arguments for ameliorating the impact, and not working to limit the damage now, is a form of "kicking the can down the road," of leaving the problem to our current younger generation (which that generation pretty clearly understands - witness where they stand on this issue), and generations to follow. It's a temporal "NIMBY" argument.