--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much…" description: "\"Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much more natural time-scale for global warming. The US is right now spending about 200 million dollars annually o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bjorn-lomborg-8937_dollars_think-on-a-50-year-scale-which-is-a-much_1988556.jpg" --- # Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much more natural… ![“Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much more natural time-scale for global warming. The US is right now spending about 200 million dollars annually on research into renewable energy.” quote by Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bjorn-lomborg-8937_dollars_think-on-a-50-year-scale-which-is-a-much_1988556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bjorn-lomborg-8937_dollars_think-on-a-50-year-scale-which-is-a-much_1988556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/bjorn-lomborg-8937_dollars_think-on-a-50-year-scale-which-is-a-much_1988556.jpg) > “Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much more natural time-scale for global warming. The US is right now spending about 200 million dollars annually on research into renewable energy.” [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑term planning (50 years) is essential for addressing global warming, yet current renewable research funding is modest compared to the scale of the problem. **In simple terms:** Think decades ahead for climate action; funding is too low. Key Takeaway Invest more in long‑term renewable research. Themes climate policy long‑term planning funding Mood concerned urgent reflective Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - government budgeting - energy sector planning - public advocacy - academic research Key Concepts sustainability economic analysis risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What policies could secure sustained funding? - How to balance short‑term costs with long‑term benefits? A Different Perspective Political resistance can stall funding increases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Million dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-dollars/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Renewable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewable/) [Renewable energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewable-energy/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Research Renewable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research-renewable-3434895/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scales/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [There are jobs, money and survival in renewable energy. Our only safe future is sun power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hampton/there-are-jobs-money-and-survival-in-renewable-energy-our-only-safe/) [Dave Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hampton/) > [It means joining with allies to deploy renewable energy technologies -- both at home and around the world -- to confront the very real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-means-joining-with-allies-to-deploy-renewable-energy-technologies/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Renewable energy is far more labor-intensive than fossil fuel production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/renewable-energy-is-far-more-labor-intensive-than-fossil-fuel/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Support renewable energy. Recycle. Reuse. Restore. Replenish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-black/support-renewable-energy-recycle-reuse-restore-replenish/) [Claudia Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-black/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-quigley/) > [We have to move toward renewable energy in a big way here in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-haaland/we-have-to-move-toward-renewable-energy-in-a-big-way-here-in-america/) [Deb Haaland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-haaland/) > [There's a lot of wishful thinking that somehow we'll replace fossil fuels with alternative energy sources, but they remain far from reality. We're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/there-s-a-lot-of-wishful-thinking-that-somehow-we-ll-replace-fossil/) [James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/) > [I am not going to give up on renewable energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/i-am-not-going-to-give-up-on-renewable-energy/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [There is no question we need an energy policy overhaul in America. A key part of that overhaul must include moving forward aggressively with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/there-is-no-question-we-need-an-energy-policy-overhaul-in-america-a/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [For decades, we've been told that it doesn't make economic sense to switch to renewable energy. Today, that's no longer true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/for-decades-we-ve-been-told-that-it-doesn-t-make-economic-sense-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I spent more than 20 years of my professional career researching and developing renewable energy sources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-mcnerney/i-spent-more-than-20-years-of-my-professional-career-researching-and/) [Jerry McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-mcnerney/) > [Green is not just about renewable energy. It's also about creating a new direction for the whole economy. This requires government to step up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/green-is-not-just-about-renewable-energy-it-s-also-about-creating-a/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) > [Renewable energy is proven technology, the price is dropping, the rest of the world is going that way, that's where our investment should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-brown/renewable-energy-is-proven-technology-the-price-is-dropping-the-rest/) [Bob Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-brown/) > [We should not just consume hydrocarbon fuel but use it to develop nuclear energy, hydro power and renewable energy sources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-should-not-just-consume-hydrocarbon-fuel-but-use-it-to-develop/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More by Bjorn Lomborg > [If every country committed to spending 0.05 per cent of GDP on researching non-carbon-emitting energy technologies, that would cost $25 billion a year, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/if-every-country-committed-to-spending-0-05-per-cent-of-gdp-on/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [For the longest time in Denmark I didn't want to say what I was politically. I thought it was irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/for-the-longest-time-in-denmark-i-didn-t-want-to-say-what-i-was/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [It seems incontrovertible to me that there is a global warming effect and that it is going to be serious, probably not in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/it-seems-incontrovertible-to-me-that-there-is-a-global-warming-effect/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [I'm an old member of Greenpeace. I worried intensely, as I think most of my friends did, that the world was coming apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/i-m-an-old-member-of-greenpeace-i-worried-intensely-as-i-think-most/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [Even if I was a bad right wing guy, to the extent of whether my arguments are right or wrong, they're right or wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/even-if-i-was-a-bad-right-wing-guy-to-the-extent-of-whether-my/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [Lots of people say we should fly less, heat less, and put on a sweater. But it's not going to happen. People are happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/lots-of-people-say-we-should-fly-less-heat-less-and-put-on-a-sweater/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [Wishful thinking is not sound public policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/wishful-thinking-is-not-sound-public-policy/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [“One of the great ironies of climate change activism today is that many of the movement’s most vocal proponents are also horrified by global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/one-of-the-great-ironies-of-climate-change-activism-today-is-that/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [“Global temperature and GDP are both rising, and each affects the other… We have to find the right balance between the two factors. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/global-temperature-and-gdp-are-both-rising-and-each-affects-the-other/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [The obvious issue is providing clean drinking water and sanitation to every single human being on earth at the cost of little more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/the-obvious-issue-is-providing-clean-drinking-water-and-sanitation-to/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [My suggestion is that we should first work to ensure the Third World has clean drinking water and sanitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/my-suggestion-is-that-we-should-first-work-to-ensure-the-third-world/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [“We should not confuse the rising costs of flooding with flooding itself (or indeed with climate change). It is entirely caused by more houses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/we-should-not-confuse-the-rising-costs-of-flooding-with-flooding/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [Money spent on carbon cuts is money we can't use for effective investments in food aid, micronutrients, HIV/AIDS prevention, health and education infrastructure, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/money-spent-on-carbon-cuts-is-money-we-can-t-use-for-effective/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [“The negative impacts (of biofuels) were much greater than most had anticipated...the amount of crops needed to fill an SUV’s fuel tank with biofuel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/the-negative-impacts-of-biofuels-were-much-greater-than-most-had/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [But this is an occupational hazard of being a scientist. You say this is the best information I have and then you realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/but-this-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-being-a-scientist-you-say-this/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) [Explore all 76 Bjorn Lomborg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) ## 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. 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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": "Think on a 50-year scale, which is a much more natural time-scale for global warming. 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