Selling Low Probability, High Impact Events

Tom Friedman has an excellent column today comparing the application of Dick Cheney's "One Percent" Doctrine on terrorism to climate change.  As Friedman explains, the question is what to do about potential events that are unlikely to happen, but if they do the fallout would be catastrophic.

With that in mind, he counters about the downside if we're wrong on climate change:

"If we prepare for climate change by building a clean-power economy, but climate change turns out to be a hoax, what would be the result? Well, during a transition period, we would have higher energy prices. But gradually we would be driving battery-powered electric cars and powering more and more of our homes and factories with wind, solar, nuclear and second-generation biofuels. We would be much less dependent on oil dictators who have drawn a bull's-eye on our backs; our trade deficit would improve; the dollar would strengthen; and the air we breathe would be cleaner. In short, as a country, we would be stronger, more innovative and more energy independent."

This is an interesting avenue of tomorrow-ism to explore. Anyone have other examples of low probability, high impact events that have been successfully sold to the public?  (Meritorious or not?)