This is why we almost universally resort to talking about the weather when speaking with relative strangers. It's hard to be offended by overcast weather.
While typing this, I realized we're there already. During summer, when talking about the temperature, people already feel the need to add their opinion about climate change to the discussion, which then becomes political.
We definitely are there already. I can't comfortably talk about weather anymore, because after either side mentions anything interesting - such as it being surprisingly cold, or hot, or snowy, or windy - I feel tempted to say something about climate change. Being risk averse, I stop myself and say nothing, but this creates an awkward pause and ends the conversation.