Now: do we use any of this expensively acquired knowledge in our political processes, in any consequential way? Nope. :) Do we use it in the corporate world? Nope. Anywhere else, outside of the ivory tower? Also nope. For the most part, it just sits there unused.
But suppose we did use our psychological knowledge at great scale and fidelity. Then we should be able to treat many systemic issues. Because ultimately, it is merely human psychology that holds us back, rather than any physical resource limitations.
There's a great documentary about it called "The Century of Self"
This isn't the inevitable product of human psyche. This is an engineered state devised to do precisely what's driving climate change: consume resources at an accelerating rate.