--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our planet has not seen an extinction…" description: "\"Our planet has not seen an extinction crisis as serious as the one in progress for 65 million years.\" — David Suzuki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/david-suzuki-1744_crisis_our-planet-has-not-seen-an-extinction-cr_1532710.png" --- # Our planet has not seen an extinction crisis as serious as… ![“Our planet has not seen an extinction crisis as serious as the one in progress for 65 million years.” quote by David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/david-suzuki-1744_crisis_our-planet-has-not-seen-an-extinction-cr_1532710.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/david-suzuki-1744_crisis_our-planet-has-not-seen-an-extinction-cr_1532710.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eab/david-suzuki-1744_crisis_our-planet-has-not-seen-an-extinction-cr_1532710.png) > “Our planet has not seen an extinction crisis as serious as the one in progress for 65 million years.” [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human activity is causing a mass extinction unprecedented in the past 65 million years. **In simple terms:** Human actions cause a huge extinction crisis. Key Takeaway Act to protect biodiversity now. Themes environment extinction human impact conservation Mood concerned urgent Type warning advocacy When to use this quote - policy making - education - activism - sustainable practices Key Concepts biodiversity loss anthropogenic change Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to reduce your ecological footprint? - How can societies balance development with conservation? A Different Perspective Efforts may be hindered by economic interests and political inertia. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [Million years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/million-years/) [Our planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-planet/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) ## Related quotes > [I want to interpret the natural world and our links to it. It's driven by the belief of many world-class scientists that we're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-lanting/i-want-to-interpret-the-natural-world-and-our-links-to-it-it-s-driven/) [Frans Lanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-lanting/) > [We live in a time where we have more extinction happening on our planet than since the dinosaurs were wiped out 50 million years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-corwin/we-live-in-a-time-where-we-have-more-extinction-happening-on-our/) [Jeff Corwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-corwin/) > [So, the ant way of life is very ancient and very successful. As far as human beings are concerned, we've been around for only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/so-the-ant-way-of-life-is-very-ancient-and-very-successful-as-far-as/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [I will hold you for a million years to make you feel my love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-hold-you-for-a-million-years-to-make-you-feel-my-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No, my point is that life on earth can take of itself. In the thinking of a human being, a hundred years is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/no-my-point-is-that-life-on-earth-can-take-of-itself-in-the-thinking/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [I would have never thought in a million years that I would appeal to an Avril fan. But I'm glad that I do because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-walker/i-would-have-never-thought-in-a-million-years-that-i-would-appeal-to/) [Butch Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-walker/) > [While our world is shaking and crumbling, we need to realize that one thing will never change, and that is God. He is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/while-our-world-is-shaking-and-crumbling-we-need-to-realize-that-one/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Well lose more species of plants and animals between 2000 and 2065 than weve lost in the last 65 million years. If we dont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/well-lose-more-species-of-plants-and-animals-between-2000-and-2065/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Singularity is the point at which "all the change in the last million years will be superseded by the change in the next five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/singularity-is-the-point-at-which-all-the-change-in-the-last-million/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Sometimes,” he said after a second that lasted a million years, “things get broken. And they can’t be fixed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/sometimes-he-said-after-a-second-that-lasted-a-million-years-things/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [“In God's scheme what is a few billion years here and there. Perhaps there have come and gone a dozen human civilizations in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/in-god-s-scheme-what-is-a-few-billion-years-here-and-there-perhaps/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [No, I would never in a million years compare anything we've done to anything we've previously done. I don't believe in it - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-root/no-i-would-never-in-a-million-years-compare-anything-we-ve-done-to/) [Jim Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-root/) > [“A very long time ago, some 2.5 million years B.C., the mother of human species as we know it, our ultimate ancestor, appeared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/a-very-long-time-ago-some-2-5-million-years-b-c-the-mother-of-human/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [A million years of evolution, Eric said bitterly, and what are we? Animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/a-million-years-of-evolution-eric-said-bitterly-and-what-are-we/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I spent a million years looking for you and all I got is half of my heart for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meow/i-spent-a-million-years-looking-for-you-and-all-i-got-is-half-of-my/) [Meow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meow/) ## More by David Suzuki > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Over and over, we hear politicians say they can't spend our tax dollars on environmental protection when the economy is so fragile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/over-and-over-we-hear-politicians-say-they-can-t-spend-our-tax/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Aboriginal people are key because they have a different sense of where we belong and how we interact with nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/aboriginal-people-are-key-because-they-have-a-different-sense-of/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [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/) > [Treaties, agreements and organizations to help settle disputes may be necessary, but they often favor the interests of business over citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/treaties-agreements-and-organizations-to-help-settle-disputes-may-be/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Each of us now has 2.27 kg (5 lbs) of plastic embedded in our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/each-of-us-now-has-2-27-kg-5-lbs-of-plastic-embedded-in-our-bodies/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/nature-surrounds-us-from-parks-and-backyards-to-streets-and-alleyways/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The human brain had a vast memory storage. It made us curious and very creative. Those were the characteristics that gave us an advantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-human-brain-had-a-vast-memory-storage-it-made-us-curious-and-very/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-we-pollute-the-air-water-and-soil-that-keep-us-alive-and-well-and/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [The one thing I feel is very hopeful, however, is the overwhelming participation of women in the movement for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/the-one-thing-i-feel-is-very-hopeful-however-is-the-overwhelming/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [“As we distance ourselves further from the natural world, we are increasingly surrounded by and dependent on our own inventions. We become enslaved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/as-we-distance-ourselves-further-from-the-natural-world-we-are/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Every breath is a sacrament, an affirmation of our connection with all other living things, a renewal of our link with our ancestors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/every-breath-is-a-sacrament-an-affirmation-of-our-connection-with-all/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [With an estimated population of nine billion people by 2050, we cannot continue to consume resources at the same rate and maintain our quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/with-an-estimated-population-of-nine-billion-people-by-2050-we-cannot/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Although it's the second largest country in the world, our useful area has been reduced. Our immigration policy is disgusting: We plunder southern countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/although-it-s-the-second-largest-country-in-the-world-our-useful-area/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Environmentalism has failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/environmentalism-has-failed/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) [Explore all 212 David Suzuki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) ## More Crisis quotes > [People in great groups have blinders on. Their work is all they see. They value failures as learning opportunities. They are optimistic, not realistic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/people-in-great-groups-have-blinders-on-their-work-is-all-they-see/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wright/the-crisis-of-our-diminishing-water-resources-is-just-as-severe-if/) Jim Wright > [It is popular to call it a crisis of the Western world. It is in fact a crisis of the whole world. Communism, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/it-is-popular-to-call-it-a-crisis-of-the-western-world-it-is-in-fact/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [The financial crisis we are facing today arises from the fact that there is almost no more social, cultural, natural, and spiritual capital left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/the-financial-crisis-we-are-facing-today-arises-from-the-fact-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [In a couple of decades you have half of the wells that are drilled right now, and you're talking about numbers in the millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/in-a-couple-of-decades-you-have-half-of-the-wells-that-are-drilled/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [Disasters affect every state, and North Carolinians have given our own tax dollars to help neighbors and those in other states in times of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/disasters-affect-every-state-and-north-carolinians-have-given-our-own/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [Things happen too quickly, crisis follows crisis, the soil of our minds is perpetually disturbed. Each of us, to relieve his feelings, broadcasts his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/things-happen-too-quickly-crisis-follows-crisis-the-soil-of-our-minds/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [When this coronavirus crisis is over, what kind of society will we be? A more important question is what kind of society do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/when-this-coronavirus-crisis-is-over-what-kind-of-society-will-we-be/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. 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