"Has there ever before in history been a time when massive changes to the economy (and the way we live) have been pushed for based on a relatively new and unproven science like this?"
Well, Hitler's idea of boosting the economy in Germany by getting rid of the Jews (based on the 'science" of building the "perfect" race) pops into mind.
1970's they talked about spreading soot across the polar caps to melt them.