It shouldn't be the government that does this.  I am an Economics major, and spent a semester studying Environmental Economics.  The solution can, will, and should come from the private sector.  There are many companies out there researching alternate sources of energy, and when it becomes more economical to use these new advances in technology, the market will use them.  Right now it is too cost prohibitive to use alternate forms of energy, but as other resources become more scarce, the price of them will go up, and we as a society will use alternate forms of energy, all without having to get the government involved.