--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and…" description: "\"You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow.\" — Gro Ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg" --- # You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you… ![“You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow.” quote by Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg) > “You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow.” [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sustainable development requires healthy ecosystems and thriving economies together. **In simple terms:** Economies need healthy ecosystems to grow. Key Takeaway Invest in environmental health to boost economies. Themes sustainability economy health environment Mood concerned optimistic Type policy motivational When to use this quote - urban planning - agricultural policy - community development - business strategy Key Concepts Ecological economics systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can policies balance ecological and economic goals? - What trade‑offs are acceptable? A Different Perspective Neglecting social equity can undermine outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Hunger and poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger-and-poverty/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [World hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-hunger/) ## Related quotes > [To argue that we need some technology in order to produce food to tackle hunger is completely blind to the facts on the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lappe/to-argue-that-we-need-some-technology-in-order-to-produce-food-to/) [Anna Lappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lappe/) > [I feel like it really marks a new era for Microsoft under Satya Nadella, Alex Kipman, Phil Spencer, and a number of other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sweeney/i-feel-like-it-really-marks-a-new-era-for-microsoft-under-satya/) [Tim Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sweeney/) > [In the end, what developers want is a healthy ecosystem to create content and launch it into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-fils-aime/in-the-end-what-developers-want-is-a-healthy-ecosystem-to-create/) [Reggie Fils-Aime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-fils-aime/) > [“Lindworms are a sign of a healthy ecosystem,” I said, straightening. “Now let’s get out of here before the healthy ecosystem eats us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/lindworms-are-a-sign-of-a-healthy-ecosystem-i-said-straightening-now/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [I have repeatedly stressed that we have the knowledge to reduce hunger and poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/i-have-repeatedly-stressed-that-we-have-the-knowledge-to-reduce/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [There is no limit to how much health you can provide people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/there-is-no-limit-to-how-much-health-you-can-provide-people/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wallace/there-s-a-difference-between-us-you-think-the-people-of-this-country/) [William Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wallace/) > [Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/go-out-into-the-world-uncorrupted-a-breath-of-fresh-air-in-this/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Once you provide people with a platform to start their own country, every conceivable type of innovator reaches out to you with their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-quirk/once-you-provide-people-with-a-platform-to-start-their-own-country/) [Joe Quirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-quirk/) > [As a leader you provide for people only what they can't provide for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blanchard/as-a-leader-you-provide-for-people-only-what-they-can-t-provide-for/) [Ken Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blanchard/) > [Look to see who is truly serving the world, truly seeking to share wisdom and knowledge, insight and understanding, caring and compassion. Provide for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/look-to-see-who-is-truly-serving-the-world-truly-seeking-to-share/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [We need to provide people access to treatment options that work for them, which should include long-term access to medication, behavioral therapy and family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/we-need-to-provide-people-access-to-treatment-options-that-work-for/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [“market transactions do not necessarily provide people with what they want; they provide people with what they think they want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-porter/market-transactions-do-not-necessarily-provide-people-with-what-they/) Eduardo Porter > [I think my family is one of the most important things in my life because they are the people I provide for and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/i-think-my-family-is-one-of-the-most-important-things-in-my-life/) [Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/) > [During 2007 "Not for Sale" was born from a problem I saw in Thailand. We established a basic level of care to the community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-batstone/during-2007-not-for-sale-was-born-from-a-problem-i-saw-in-thailand-we/) [David Batstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-batstone/) ## More by Gro Harlem Brundtland > [The dual scourge of hunger and malnutrition will be truly vanquished not only when granaries are full, but also when people's basic health needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/the-dual-scourge-of-hunger-and-malnutrition-will-be-truly-vanquished/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Morality becomes hypocrisy if it means accepting mothers' suffering or dying in connection with unwanted pregnancies and illegal abortions and unwanted children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/morality-becomes-hypocrisy-if-it-means-accepting-mothers-suffering-or/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Women's health is one of WHO's highest priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/women-s-health-is-one-of-who-s-highest-priorities/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Such lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, little physical activity and low dietary calcium intake are risk factors for osteoporosis as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/such-lifestyle-factors-such-as-cigarette-smoking-excessive-alcohol/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [The myth that men are the economic providers and women, mainly, are mothers and care givers in the family has now been thoroughly refuted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/the-myth-that-men-are-the-economic-providers-and-women-mainly-are/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/sustainable-development-is-development-that-meets-the-needs-of-the/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [To change societies you need to organize with others who share your views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/to-change-societies-you-need-to-organize-with-others-who-share-your/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [The burden of disease falls on the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/the-burden-of-disease-falls-on-the-poor/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [We are working towards a shared vision of the future for health among all the world's people. A vision future in which we develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/we-are-working-towards-a-shared-vision-of-the-future-for-health-among/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Since the reduction of risk factors is the scientific basis for primary prevention, the World Health Organization promotes the development of an integrated strategy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/since-the-reduction-of-risk-factors-is-the-scientific-basis-for/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [With an annual investment of $66 billion by 2007, we can save 8 million lives each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/with-an-annual-investment-of-66-billion-by-2007-we-can-save-8-million/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [This double burden of disease is rapidly putting a serious brake on the development efforts of many countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/this-double-burden-of-disease-is-rapidly-putting-a-serious-brake-on/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [You cannot achieve environmental security and human development without addressing the basic issues of health and nutrition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-achieve-environmental-security-and-human-development/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [In recognising the global problem posed by osteoporosis, WHO sees the need for a global strategy for prevention and control of osteoporosis, focusing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/in-recognising-the-global-problem-posed-by-osteoporosis-who-sees-the/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [Contaminated food is a major cause of diarrhea, substantially contributing to malnutrition and killing about 2.2 million people each year, most of them children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/contaminated-food-is-a-major-cause-of-diarrhea-substantially/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) [Explore all 48 Gro Harlem Brundtland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) ## More Disease quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [If you are a white male, you don't deserve to live. You are a cancer, you're a disease, white males have never contributed anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-ignatiev/if-you-are-a-white-male-you-don-t-deserve-to-live-you-are-a-cancer/) [Noel Ignatiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-ignatiev/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [Religion is a disease. It is born of fear; it compensates through hate in the guise of authority, revelation. Religion, enthroned in a powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-amos-dorsey/religion-is-a-disease-it-is-born-of-fear-it-compensates-through-hate/) [George Amos Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-amos-dorsey/) > [To some degree Satanism is purely a kind of disease of Christianity. You've got to really be Christian to believe in Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/to-some-degree-satanism-is-purely-a-kind-of-disease-of-christianity/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [People do not realize that Alzheimer's is not old age. It is a progressive and fatal disease, and staggering amounts of people develop Alzheimer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-kanakaredes/people-do-not-realize-that-alzheimer-s-is-not-old-age-it-is-a/) [Melina Kanakaredes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-kanakaredes/) > [Religious work is one of the best ways to keep from facing your reality if you are Christian, if you are using it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-miller/religious-work-is-one-of-the-best-ways-to-keep-from-facing-your/) [Keith Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-miller/) [Browse all 3,549 Disease quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gro Harlem Brundtland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-poverty-unless-you-can-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disease" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-poverty-unless-you-can-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/gro-harlem-brundtland-13768_disease_you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-pov_293676.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem…” — Gro Harlem Brundtland", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gro Harlem Brundtland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-poverty-unless-you-can-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/you-cannot-tackle-hunger-disease-and-poverty-unless-you-can-also/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```