A retired geologist, i would like to put in my 1 1/2 cents worth. It is not necessary to melt the entire continental ice caps to cause problems. Sit on the levee in New Orleans- you are above the city level, and the water line on the ships on the river is above land level. A rise of 5 meters would cause severe problems. How would you fence the water out? Cities like Venice would be lost. Re-building New York's sealevel towers and dockyards would cost billions. Parlay that around the world.
Nicole C, thanks for talking facts.
Global temperature changes have recurred many times in the geological past. We wern't there with our massive coastal construction and population.

Now to the crux- I don't think we can do much about it. Shifts in climate are a part of our planet's history. What is important is our health, and the globe's health. Insuring clean air and water and unpolluted land is to the benefit of us all. So far, we are doing a good job of fouling our nest.