--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But to truly transform our economy…" description: "\"But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, ren..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/barack-obama-17_america_but-to-truly-transform-our-economy-prote_816045.jpg" --- # But to truly transform our economy, protect our security… ![“But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/barack-obama-17_america_but-to-truly-transform-our-economy-prote_816045.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/barack-obama-17_america_but-to-truly-transform-our-economy-prote_816045.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/barack-obama-17_america_but-to-truly-transform-our-economy-prote_816045.jpg) > “But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving a clean energy future requires making renewable power profitable through market mechanisms like a carbon cap. **In simple terms:** Renewables must be financially attractive to replace fossil fuels. Key Takeaway Advocate for carbon pricing to boost clean energy. Themes energy transition environmental policy economics innovation Mood inspirational optimistic Type policy economic When to use this quote - legislative proposals - business investment - state-level initiatives Key Concepts carbon pricing market incentives renewable profitability Questions to Reflect On - What policies best align profit with sustainability? - How can we ensure equitable transition for affected workers? A Different Perspective Political opposition may stall legislation and market volatility could affect outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Carbon tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon-tax/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Legislation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislation/) [Our planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-planet/) [Pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution/) [Renewable energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewable-energy/) [Save our planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/save-our-planet/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Trading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trading/) ## Related quotes > [I ask Congress to guarantee that the next revolution in manufacturing is Made in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ask-congress-to-guarantee-that-the-next-revolution-in-manufacturing/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We can still cap carbon, but that needn't be at the top of the agenda that we communicate to voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/we-can-still-cap-carbon-but-that-needn-t-be-at-the-top-of-the-agenda/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [We need a firm cap on carbon emissions from fossil fuels. No coal, oil, or gas could enter the economy until the buyer had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/we-need-a-firm-cap-on-carbon-emissions-from-fossil-fuels-no-coal-oil/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [The issue of climate change is one that we ignore at our own peril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-issue-of-climate-change-is-one-that-we-ignore-at-our-own-peril-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-can-be-scientifically-certain-of-is-that-our-continued-use-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels... we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/unless-we-free-ourselves-from-a-dependence-on-these-fossil-fuels-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, wind is the cheapest energy in America; solar is not far behind. In time, fossil fuels will only get more and more expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/today-wind-is-the-cheapest-energy-in-america-solar-is-not-far-behind/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [As a former CIA operative, I have seen first-hand that not every nation we buy energy from has America's best interest in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/as-a-former-cia-operative-i-have-seen-first-hand-that-not-every/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [Energy is in America. And if we can tap into that safely and appropriately, I guarantee that is something that President Trump will certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/energy-is-in-america-and-if-we-can-tap-into-that-safely-and/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [Homes and buildings, many of which are old and drafty, eat up 40 percent of the energy America uses. Such inefficiencies perpetuate our reliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-welch/homes-and-buildings-many-of-which-are-old-and-drafty-eat-up-40/) [Peter Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-welch/) > [Every dollar spent on nuclear is one less dollar spent on clean renewable energy and one more dollar spent on making the world a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-jacobson/every-dollar-spent-on-nuclear-is-one-less-dollar-spent-on-clean/) [Mark Z. Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-jacobson/) > [We call for a green New Deal, like the New Deal that got us out of the Great Depression, but in this case focusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-call-for-a-green-new-deal-like-the-new-deal-that-got-us-out-of-the/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Hydropower is a clean and renewable energy source that provides affordable power throughout the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-moulton/hydropower-is-a-clean-and-renewable-energy-source-that-provides/) [Seth Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-moulton/) > [As Speaker, I passed Maine's most aggressive carbon emission reduction and renewable energy standards, and in the Senate, I will prioritize moving toward a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gideon/as-speaker-i-passed-maine-s-most-aggressive-carbon-emission-reduction/) [Sara Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gideon/) > [While the agreement signed in Paris between 195 nations to combat climate change was historic and significant, it's still vague and lacks the ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-quigley/while-the-agreement-signed-in-paris-between-195-nations-to-combat/) John B. Quigley ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. 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