Why are environmental difficulties hard for political leaders to recognize address and solve?

Usually because the people who are causing the problems will make a big fuss if you try to make them stop. I fully agree. Politicians risk corporate support if they address the environmental problems that corporations are creating. It's easier for them to play dumb, than to tackle the tough issues head-on. What they fail to realize is a younger generation of voters will not allow them to continue operating this way. Eventually, politicians will have to be more accountable. Or maybe this is just wishful thinking!