A minority of the old people, sure. But the majority of the voting old people don't believe in climate change.

And now they're doing everything they can to stop any progress:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/climate/feinstein-sunrise...

Conservatives in government don't believe in climate change and liberals in government say they believe in it right up until they actually have to do anything. The common pattern is that they're all in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and will be dead before the most dire consequences arrive.

If they don't care what will happen after they die and they're already successful people... why would they be working at all? Surely they'll be at home burning through all their money and not worrying about anything?

I think they like staying in power, and enjoying making money as a habit.

That's an excellent question and I think it's some combination of hunger for power (eternally unquenchable) and using staffers/aides as elder care workers, like Robert Byrd did.