I think modernised nations will be able to produce that sort of massive energy, and are also less likely to be impacted by climate change related droughts/famines in the first place. Unfortunately and unjustly it's the poor countries along the equator that are f*cked, and unless some crazy political restructuring happens these countries don't have a shot of updating their economies fast enough to desalinate their way out of oblivion.

Cheap energy has always been a few decades away...

I wondered whether they were referring to rising sea levels, but then it would make a lot more sense to go to Norway.

> just needs energy to desalinate

That's a very load-bearing "just". Germany is busy shooting itself in the head by turning off their nuclear reactors.