--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At first when I heard about climate…" description: "\"At first when I heard about climate change, I was a climate denier. I didn't think it was happening. Because if there really was an existential crisis ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/greta-thunburg-5897_anything_at-first-when-i-heard-about-climate-chan_2709957.jpg" --- # At first when I heard about climate change, I was a… ![“At first when I heard about climate change, I was a climate denier. I didn't think it was happening. Because if there really was an existential crisis like that, that would threaten our civilisation, we wouldn't be focusing on anything else. That would be our first priority. So I didn't understand…” quote by Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/greta-thunburg-5897_anything_at-first-when-i-heard-about-climate-chan_2709957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/greta-thunburg-5897_anything_at-first-when-i-heard-about-climate-chan_2709957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/greta-thunburg-5897_anything_at-first-when-i-heard-about-climate-chan_2709957.jpg) > “At first when I heard about climate change, I was a climate denier. I didn't think it was happening. Because if there really was an existential crisis like that, that would threaten our civilisation, we wouldn't be focusing on anything else. That would be our first priority. So I didn't understand how that added up.” [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initially skeptical about climate change, the speaker realized the existential threat demands immediate focus beyond other concerns. **In simple terms:** Climate crisis demands urgent, primary attention. Key Takeaway Prioritize climate action over peripheral issues. Themes climate existential crisis denial Mood urgent motivational Type environmental political When to use this quote - government planning - education - community activism - business strategy Key Concepts environmental science policy advocacy Questions to Reflect On - What makes climate change feel distant? - How can you shift focus to urgent action? A Different Perspective Denial can stem from fear of change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-climate-476033/) [Civilisation Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilisation-wouldn-2800800/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Climate Denier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-denier-2800799/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [Existential crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential-crisis/) [First priority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-priority/) ## Related quotes > [For someone to say that someone's a skeptic or a climate denier about the climate changing, that's just nonsensical. We see that throughout history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/for-someone-to-say-that-someone-s-a-skeptic-or-a-climate-denier-about/) [Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/) > [James Bridenstine is a climate denier with no scientific background who has made a career out of ignoring science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/james-bridenstine-is-a-climate-denier-with-no-scientific-background/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [I went through this kind of existential crisis. I was going through a breakup; I tore my ACL and my meniscus and had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-dapperton/i-went-through-this-kind-of-existential-crisis-i-was-going-through-a/) [Gus Dapperton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-dapperton/) > [Black America surely faces an existential crisis, but not the one imagined in the condescending news media - of somehow getting non-black America to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howard-kunstler/black-america-surely-faces-an-existential-crisis-but-not-the-one/) [James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howard-kunstler/) > [Right after 'Friday Night Lights' ended, I was in sort of an existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/right-after-friday-night-lights-ended-i-was-in-sort-of-an-existential/) [Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/) > ['Atomic Blonde' is about the characters' bigger existential crisis and their world. It's not so much the conceit of the spy game; it's more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/atomic-blonde-is-about-the-characters-bigger-existential-crisis-and/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [I thought I was having an existential crisis, but it was nothing. Please don't tailgate: body in trunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-thought-i-was-having-an-existential-crisis-but-it-was-nothing/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“You could call it “hitting bottom” or “having an existential crisis.” I prefer to call it “weathering the shitstorm.” Choose what suits you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/you-could-call-it-hitting-bottom-or-having-an-existential-crisis-i/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [I don't know any 21-year-old who's not having an existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-purnell/i-don-t-know-any-21-year-old-who-s-not-having-an-existential-crisis/) [Ella Purnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-purnell/) > [I had an existential crisis at the Oscars, sitting next to Sean Penn and Meryl Streep, and being like, 'What am I doing here?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/i-had-an-existential-crisis-at-the-oscars-sitting-next-to-sean-penn/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) > [We like existentially wacky characters who exist in existential crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/we-like-existentially-wacky-characters-who-exist-in-existential-crisis/) [Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/) > [Error ... is less an intellectual problem than an existential one - a crisis not in what we know, but in who we are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/error-is-less-an-intellectual-problem-than-an-existential-one-a/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [Huge public spending and borrowing in the face of an existential crisis is clearly the right thing to do, as is putting people's health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/huge-public-spending-and-borrowing-in-the-face-of-an-existential/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [I write very rarely. Only, in fact, when the sheet of paper suffers an existential crisis and threatens, if I don't surrender to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-dimoula/i-write-very-rarely-only-in-fact-when-the-sheet-of-paper-suffers-an/) [Kiki Dimoula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-dimoula/) > [We have an existential crisis, which is the climate crisis. Canada is one of the laggards in the industrialized world. Our record is terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/we-have-an-existential-crisis-which-is-the-climate-crisis-canada-is/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) ## More by Greta Thunburg > [I don't really like being in the centre of attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-don-t-really-like-being-in-the-centre-of-attention/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I think that once you fully understand the climate and ecological emergencies, then you know what you can do as well. And, of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-think-that-once-you-fully-understand-the-climate-and-ecological/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [We can no longer save the world by playing by the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/we-can-no-longer-save-the-world-by-playing-by-the-rules/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [The best thing about my protest has been to see how more and more people have been coming and getting involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/the-best-thing-about-my-protest-has-been-to-see-how-more-and-more/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I really miss having a routine because now I've been on the road constantly for several months. I like routines, so it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-really-miss-having-a-routine-because-now-i-ve-been-on-the-road/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I mean, people aren't continuing like this and not doing anything because they are evil, or because they don't want to. We aren't destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-mean-people-aren-t-continuing-like-this-and-not-doing-anything/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I have Asperger's, I'm on the autism spectrum, so I don't really care about social codes. It makes you think differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-have-asperger-s-i-m-on-the-autism-spectrum-so-i-don-t-really-care/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [Most emissions aren't caused by individuals, they're caused by corporations and states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/most-emissions-aren-t-caused-by-individuals-they-re-caused-by/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [We have to understand what the older generation has dealt to us, what mess they have created that we have to clean up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/we-have-to-understand-what-the-older-generation-has-dealt-to-us-what/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I thought I couldn't make a difference because I was too small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-thought-i-couldn-t-make-a-difference-because-i-was-too-small/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [It's empowering to know I am doing something, I am taking a stand, I am disrupting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/it-s-empowering-to-know-i-am-doing-something-i-am-taking-a-stand-i-am/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [Some people can just let things go, but I can't, especially if there's something that worries me or makes me sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/some-people-can-just-let-things-go-but-i-can-t-especially-if-there-s/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [My message to the Americans is the same as to everyone - that is to unite behind the science and to act on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/my-message-to-the-americans-is-the-same-as-to-everyone-that-is-to/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I am an introvert; privately I am very shy, and I don't speak unless I have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-am-an-introvert-privately-i-am-very-shy-and-i-don-t-speak-unless-i/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [I have promised myself that I'm going to do everything I can for as long as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-have-promised-myself-that-i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-for-as/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) [Explore all 100 Greta Thunburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. 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