---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yes, this is hard. But there should be no…"
description: "\"Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating thi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg"
---

#  Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that…

![“Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating this problem; we embrace our responsibility to combat it. We will do our part, and we will help developing nations do theirs. But we can only succeed…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg)

> “Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating this problem; we embrace our responsibility to combat it. We will do our part, and we will help developing nations do theirs. But we can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation -- developed and developing alike. Nobody gets a pass.”

[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.

The speaker stresses that the US must lead and collaborate globally to tackle climate change, emphasizing shared responsibility and no exemptions.

**In simple terms:** The US should lead and work with all nations to fight climate change.

Key Takeaway

Lead, collaborate, and hold all nations accountable.

Themes

leadership collaboration environment responsibility global equity

Mood

determined urgent hopeful

Type

political motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- national policy drafting
- international summit negotiations
- development aid planning
- public awareness campaigns

Key Concepts

climate policy international cooperation environmental ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can developed nations support developing ones without imposing undue burdens?
- What mechanisms ensure all countries meet their commitments?

A Different Perspective

Success depends on universal participation, which can be hindered by differing national interests and capacities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Stepping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-stepping-5622931/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) [Combating Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combating-climate-735887/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Effort Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort-nation-935720/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Embrace Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace-responsibility-2716565/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Joined Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joined-effort-5622932/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Plates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plates/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [United states of america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states-of-america/)

## Related quotes

> [Nations consist of people. And with their effort, a nation can accomplish all it could ever want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nations-consist-of-people-and-with-their-effort-a-nation-can/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/few-challenges-facing-america-and-the-world-are-more-urgent-than/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“Sin as it is a term that implies the rejection of responsibility by blaming another person rather than being responsible. Choices are eternal. Choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bravandt/sin-as-it-is-a-term-that-implies-the-rejection-of-responsibility-by/)

[Deborah Bravandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bravandt/)

> [I embrace responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-k-subban/i-embrace-responsibility/)

[P.K. Subban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-k-subban/)

> [Climate change is real, caused by human activity and already devastating our nation and planet. The United States must lead the world in combating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/climate-change-is-real-caused-by-human-activity-and-already/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [Combating climate change requires government policy, and most conservatives hate the idea of more government regulation. Because they hate the prescription, they deny the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/combating-climate-change-requires-government-policy-and-most/)

[Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/)

> [Combating climate change requires collaboration with many levels of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/combating-climate-change-requires-collaboration-with-many-levels-of/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [Norway is combating climate change. It's an important issue for us. And we are committed to the Paris Agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erna-solberg/norway-is-combating-climate-change-it-s-an-important-issue-for-us-and/)

[Erna Solberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erna-solberg/)

> [We have taken on the fossil fuel companies, combating climate change and even the energy utilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gideon/we-have-taken-on-the-fossil-fuel-companies-combating-climate-change/)

[Sara Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gideon/)

> [Combating climate change is absolutely critical to the future of our company,Green Cooler customers, consumers-and our world. I believe all of us need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indra-nooyi/combating-climate-change-is-absolutely-critical-to-the-future-of-our/)

[Indra Nooyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indra-nooyi/)

> [A lot of hitters stay away from the plate, some are close up, some are forward, some are back. The thing about hitting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-musial/a-lot-of-hitters-stay-away-from-the-plate-some-are-close-up-some-are/)

[Stan Musial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-musial/)

> [It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/it-is-not-necessary-to-have-an-extravagant-food-budget-in-order-to/)

[Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/)

> [Whenever anything happens in America, they have to gold-plate it, like baby shoes. That way you can forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/whenever-anything-happens-in-america-they-have-to-gold-plate-it-like/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [What's that plate that's above a saucer but below a plate?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/what-s-that-plate-that-s-above-a-saucer-but-below-a-plate/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

> [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/)

[Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/)

## 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": "Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the plate. We recognize our role in creating this problem; we embrace our responsibility to combat it. We will do our part, and we will help developing nations do theirs. But we can only succeed in combating climate change if we are joined in this effort by every nation -- developed and developing alike. Nobody gets a pass.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barack Obama"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no-question-that-the-united/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no-question-that-the-united/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/barack-obama-17_america_yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no_713555.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Yes, this is hard. But there should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up to the…” — Barack Obama",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Barack Obama",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Yes, this is hard. But there...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no-question-that-the-united/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/yes-this-is-hard-but-there-should-be-no-question-that-the-united/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
