--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have no reason to think that climate…" description: "\"We have no reason to think that climate change is harmful if you look at the world as a whole. Most places, in fact, are better off being warmer than b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/freeman-dyson-1435_bad-time_we-have-no-reason-to-think-that-climate_3067369.jpg" --- # We have no reason to think that climate change is harmful… ![“We have no reason to think that climate change is harmful if you look at the world as a whole. Most places, in fact, are better off being warmer than being colder. And historically, the really bad times for the environment and for people have been the cold periods rather than the warm periods.” quote by Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/freeman-dyson-1435_bad-time_we-have-no-reason-to-think-that-climate_3067369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/freeman-dyson-1435_bad-time_we-have-no-reason-to-think-that-climate_3067369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/freeman-dyson-1435_bad-time_we-have-no-reason-to-think-that-climate_3067369.jpg) > “We have no reason to think that climate change is harmful if you look at the world as a whole. Most places, in fact, are better off being warmer than being colder. And historically, the really bad times for the environment and for people have been the cold periods rather than the warm periods.” [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that a warmer climate may be beneficial overall, noting historical cold periods were more damaging than warm ones. **In simple terms:** Warmer climate might be better globally; cold periods were historically harsher. Key Takeaway Consider nuanced climate impacts beyond simple warming fears. Themes environment climate science history Mood analytical thoughtful Type scientific informative When to use this quote - policy debate - public perception - environmental planning Key Concepts temperature effects global warming historical climate ecosystem resilience Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports warm vs. cold climate impacts? - How should policy reflect nuanced climate data? A Different Perspective Warmer periods aren't always harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-times/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The U.N. is worse than disaster. The U.N. creates conflicts. Look at the disgraceful U.N. Human Rights Council: It transmits norms which are harmful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-u-n-is-worse-than-disaster-the-u-n-creates-conflicts-look-at-the/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [I'm obviously in favor of a carbon tax. And I think climate change is one of the biggest threats to our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/i-m-obviously-in-favor-of-a-carbon-tax-and-i-think-climate-change-is/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [I've even had people tell me that I must not be a Christian because I think climate change is real. But you know, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-ve-even-had-people-tell-me-that-i-must-not-be-a-christian-because-i/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [I do think that climate change is real. And I think that it's something that we have to deal with. But I also think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-do-think-that-climate-change-is-real-and-i-think-that-it-s/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [We think climate change is important enough to get its own select committee. It would be in addition to the Energy and Commerce Committee's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/we-think-climate-change-is-important-enough-to-get-its-own-select/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [Climate scientists think of nothing but climate and then express their concerns in terms of constructs such as global mean surface temperature. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/climate-scientists-think-of-nothing-but-climate-and-then-express/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [I'm no longer sceptical. I no longer have any doubt at all. I think climate change is the major challenge facing the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-m-no-longer-sceptical-i-no-longer-have-any-doubt-at-all-i-think/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I think there's a presumption of a climate emergency which I don't think there is. I think there's a climate problem, I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fox/i-think-there-s-a-presumption-of-a-climate-emergency-which-i-don-t/) [Claire Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fox/) > [The irony is that one of the things people want to solve climate change is more market - more price on carbon so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-irony-is-that-one-of-the-things-people-want-to-solve-climate/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Climate change has been associated so much with a peaceful mentality - obviously peace and love are good, but we need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/climate-change-has-been-associated-so-much-with-a-peaceful-mentality/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [And so it's no surprise that people who object to the death penalty on pure moral grounds also think it has no deterrent effect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/and-so-it-s-no-surprise-that-people-who-object-to-the-death-penalty/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [I think that the climate change policy and strategy that we have developed and that we have rolled out thus far is an example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-notley/i-think-that-the-climate-change-policy-and-strategy-that-we-have/) [Rachel Notley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-notley/) > [I think climate change is probably the most extreme, and it's been going on for years because it's very difficult to talk about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-mccarthy/i-think-climate-change-is-probably-the-most-extreme-and-it-s-been/) [Gina McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-mccarthy/) > [On almost every environmental issue I care about, in fact, I've been wrong at one point or another. I used to think that climate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/on-almost-every-environmental-issue-i-care-about-in-fact-i-ve-been/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) ## More by Freeman Dyson > [For a physicist mathematics is not just a tool by means of which phenomena can be calculated, it is the main source of concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/for-a-physicist-mathematics-is-not-just-a-tool-by-means-of-which/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“It is impossible to make real progress in technology without gambling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-is-impossible-to-make-real-progress-in-technology-without-gambling/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“Sanity is, in essence, nothing more than the ability to live in harmony with nature's laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/sanity-is-in-essence-nothing-more-than-the-ability-to-live-in-harmony/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“I do not feel like an alien in this universe. The more I examine the universe and study the details of its architecture, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-do-not-feel-like-an-alien-in-this-universe-the-more-i-examine-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It makes very little sense to believe the output of the climate models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-makes-very-little-sense-to-believe-the-output-of-the-climate-models/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The laws of nature are constructed in such a way as to make the universe as interesting as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-laws-of-nature-are-constructed-in-such-a-way-as-to-make-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [The history of mathematics is a history of horrendously difficult problems being solved by young people too ignorant to know that they were impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-history-of-mathematics-is-a-history-of-horrendously-difficult/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [You ask: what is the meaning or purpose of life? I can only answer with another question: do you think we are wise enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/you-ask-what-is-the-meaning-or-purpose-of-life-i-can-only-answer-with/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [When World War II came along, which was when I was a teenager, we all expected we would have anthrax bombs and this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/when-world-war-ii-came-along-which-was-when-i-was-a-teenager-we-all/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [It has become part of the accepted wisdom to say that the twentieth century was the century of physics and the twenty-first century will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/it-has-become-part-of-the-accepted-wisdom-to-say-that-the-twentieth/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Lucky individuals in each generation find technology appropriate to their needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/lucky-individuals-in-each-generation-find-technology-appropriate-to/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [A model is done when nothing else can be taken out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/a-model-is-done-when-nothing-else-can-be-taken-out/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I am hoping that the scientists and politicians who have been blindly demonizing carbon dioxide for 37 years will one day open their eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/i-am-hoping-that-the-scientists-and-politicians-who-have-been-blindly/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Intelligence may indeed be a benign influence creating isolated groups of philosopher-kings far apart in the heavens... On the other hand, intelligence may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/intelligence-may-indeed-be-a-benign-influence-creating-isolated/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Most of the crackpot papers which are submitted to The Physical Review are rejected, not because it is impossible to understand them, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/most-of-the-crackpot-papers-which-are-submitted-to-the-physical/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) [Explore all 241 Freeman Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) ## More Bad time quotes > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friends and family are my support system. They tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/my-friends-and-family-are-my-support-system-they-tell-me-what-i-need/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [Always respect, honour And Pray for those who helped you in your bad time. Also be thankful to bad time, For showing you those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/always-respect-honour-and-pray-for-those-who-helped-you-in-your-bad/) Pacifiersucker > [It's certainly been very important to have my own family with me. They came with me to Italy, left what they had in Brazil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/it-s-certainly-been-very-important-to-have-my-own-family-with-me-they/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [The passing of John Bonham... Let's just put it... Before we say, 'the passing of John Bonham,' the introduction of John Bonham on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/the-passing-of-john-bonham-let-s-just-put-it-before-we-say-the/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [The good time become good memories. The bad time become good lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glemar/the-good-time-become-good-memories-the-bad-time-become-good-lesson/) Glemar > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“Don’t let the bad times get you down, You have some of those moments where life tells you, it’s time to cry. Without those,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-mcdaniel-on-the-savage-side/don-t-let-the-bad-times-get-you-down-you-have-some-of-those-moments/) Tiffany McDaniel, On the Savage Side > [The comments I most appreciate come from ordinary readers who've happened on one of my books at some time of stress in their lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-saberhagen/the-comments-i-most-appreciate-come-from-ordinary-readers-who-ve/) [Fred Saberhagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-saberhagen/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Love is . . . Being happy for the other person when they are happy, Being sad for the person when they are sad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-is-being-happy-for-the-other-person-when-they-are-happy-being/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Don't give up on yourself. Fight for yourself and what you stand for. In life, you've got to go through some bad times to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-give-up-on-yourself-fight-for-yourself-and-what-you-stand-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dad? He died when I was 19, which is a bad time for your dad to die, because there's an awful lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-dad-he-died-when-i-was-19-which-is-a-bad-time-for-your-dad-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “My dear friend, clear your mind of cant \[excessive thought\]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) Browse all 638 Bad time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have no reason to think that climate change is harmful if you look at the world as a whole. Most places, in fact, are better off being warmer than being colder. 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