--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Global warming is no longer a…" description: "\"Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. It's our reality.\" — Bill McKibben" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/bill-mckibben-1057_global-warming_global-warming-is-no-longer-a-philosophi_871143.jpg" --- # Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no… ![“Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. It's our reality.” quote by Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/bill-mckibben-1057_global-warming_global-warming-is-no-longer-a-philosophi_871143.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/bill-mckibben-1057_global-warming_global-warming-is-no-longer-a-philosophi_871143.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/bill-mckibben-1057_global-warming_global-warming-is-no-longer-a-philosophi_871143.jpg) > “Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. It's our reality.” [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Global warming is now a present reality, not a future philosophical concern. **In simple terms:** Climate change is happening now. Key Takeaway Act urgently to address climate impacts. Themes climate crisis reality urgency Mood urgent serious Type activist informational When to use this quote - government policy - community activism - business strategy - personal lifestyle Key Concepts environmental science policy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What immediate actions can you take? - How can you influence others to recognize the reality? A Different Perspective Political denial can hinder effective response. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophical Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical-threat-953324/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Threat Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat-reality-953325/) [Warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warming/) ## Related quotes > [Irene's got a middle name, and it's Global Warming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/irene-s-got-a-middle-name-and-it-s-global-warming/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We're not at the point of trying to stop global warming; it's too late for that. We're trying to keep it from becoming a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-re-not-at-the-point-of-trying-to-stop-global-warming-it-s-too-late/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“The End of Nature was the first book for a general audience about global warming; it came out in 1989 and soon appeared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-end-of-nature-was-the-first-book-for-a-general-audience-about/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“I would like to draw three main conclusions. Number one, the earth is warmer in 1988 than at any time in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-would-like-to-draw-three-main-conclusions-number-one-the-earth-is/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [The thing about global warming is that you can address it on a great number of levels - in fact you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-thing-about-global-warming-is-that-you-can-address-it-on-a-great/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [All of us living in today's world are facing an enormous crisis - arguably the greatest that humanity has ever faced - in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/all-of-us-living-in-today-s-world-are-facing-an-enormous-crisis/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [“A blanket could be used to keep an iceberg warm. People are so selfish and want to stop global warming. Well, if you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-keep-an-iceberg-warm-people-are-so-selfish/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Thousands of people die every year of cold, so if we had global warming it would save lives ... We ought to look out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hunter/thousands-of-people-die-every-year-of-cold-so-if-we-had-global/) [Duncan Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hunter/) > [The right response to the non-problem of global warming is to have the courage to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-right-response-to-the-non-problem-of-global-warming-is-to-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are upsetting the atmosphere upon which all life depends. In the late 80s when I began to take climate change seriously, we referred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/we-are-upsetting-the-atmosphere-upon-which-all-life-depends-in-the/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Every day, we're learning about what's happened with global warming and what's happening all around the world, and our employees and our customers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lauren/every-day-we-re-learning-about-what-s-happened-with-global-warming/) [David Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lauren/) > [Experts say this global warming is serious, and they are predicting now that by the year 2050, we will be out of party ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/experts-say-this-global-warming-is-serious-and-they-are-predicting/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Global Warming Snowstorm Algore, paralyzing the upper Midwest two weeks before winter. Every time he shows up someplace, every time, it's almost comical, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/global-warming-snowstorm-algore-paralyzing-the-upper-midwest-two/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“These partisan beliefs can upset the equation in which more information will bring us closer to the truth. A recent study in Nature found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/these-partisan-beliefs-can-upset-the-equation-in-which-more/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [“If a blanket could be used to keep one person warm, then it stands to reason that all the blankets in the world are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-blanket-could-be-used-to-keep-one-person-warm-then-it-stands-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Bill McKibben > [I try not to be either optimistic or pessimistic. I try not to think about outcomes on that scale. My job, it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-try-not-to-be-either-optimistic-or-pessimistic-i-try-not-to-think/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Oil companies are radical because they're willing to alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/oil-companies-are-radical-because-they-re-willing-to-alter-the/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Whenever anyone challenges anything, the powers that be try to paint them as extremists or radicals or whatever. And I think that's actually nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/whenever-anyone-challenges-anything-the-powers-that-be-try-to-paint/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [My guess is that liberating the fossil fuel industry to frack anywhere they want will drive down the rate at which we're converting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/my-guess-is-that-liberating-the-fossil-fuel-industry-to-frack/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [What makes us different? We're the creature that can decide not to do something that we are capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/what-makes-us-different-we-re-the-creature-that-can-decide-not-to-do/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“The snow was coming down so hard. It looked like the flakes were hurrying to get out of the sky so the next ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-snow-was-coming-down-so-hard-it-looked-like-the-flakes-were/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Most of the men and women who vote in Congress each year to continue subsidies have taken campaign donations from big energy companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/most-of-the-men-and-women-who-vote-in-congress-each-year-to-continue/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“I’ve sat behind a microphone and listened for decades as Americans learned to stop talking with each other and start shouting instead. No discussions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-ve-sat-behind-a-microphone-and-listened-for-decades-as-americans/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [People in low-lying countries like Bangladesh with almost 140 million people who are managing to feed themselves, whose carbon emissions can't really be calculated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/people-in-low-lying-countries-like-bangladesh-with-almost-140-million/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We're putting more carbon into the atmosphere than the atmosphere can absorb. And everybody told us when we started, coz we knew nothing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-re-putting-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere-than-the-atmosphere-can/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Everything that the administration has done has been counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everything-that-the-administration-has-done-has-been-counterproductive/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We use the web to help people organize in the flesh, and then we take the images of those events and put them back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-use-the-web-to-help-people-organize-in-the-flesh-and-then-we-take/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [everyone knows, at some level, that the sharp line between "good weather" and "bad weather" is a fiction, that we need rain as surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everyone-knows-at-some-level-that-the-sharp-line-between-good-weather/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [The thing about global warming is that you can address it on a great number of levels - in fact you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-thing-about-global-warming-is-that-you-can-address-it-on-a-great/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Where people aren't as deeply reliant on fossil fuel as in the United States, it's far easier for them to imagine change on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/where-people-aren-t-as-deeply-reliant-on-fossil-fuel-as-in-the-united/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) [Explore all 299 Bill McKibben quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) [Browse all 8,549 Climate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. 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