--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are on the precipice of climate system…" description: "\"We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.\" — James Hansen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg" --- # We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points… ![“We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.” quote by James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg) > “We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.” [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) ## 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 pushing Earth toward irreversible climate shifts that may become irreversible. **In simple terms:** Climate change may reach irreversible points. Key Takeaway Act now to reduce emissions. Themes environment climate risk policy Mood urgent concerned Type warning scientific When to use this quote - policy making - urban planning - personal lifestyle choices - investment decisions Key Concepts tipping points feedback loops systemic risk Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to reduce your carbon footprint? - How can societies enforce stronger climate policies? A Different Perspective Mitigation may be insufficient without global cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate Tipping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-tipping-764549/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Precipice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precipice/) [Precipice Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precipice-climate-3149848/) [Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redemption/) [Tipping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tipping/) [Tipping point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tipping-point/) [Tipping Points](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tipping-points-764550/) ## Related quotes > [The urgency derives from the nearness of climate tipping points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-urgency-derives-from-the-nearness-of-climate-tipping-points/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [“the nearness of climate tipping points, beyond which climate dynamics can cause rapid changes out of humanity’s control. Tipping points occur because of amplifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-nearness-of-climate-tipping-points-beyond-which-climate-dynamics/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Tipping points are so dangerous because if you pass them, the climate is out of humanity's control: if an ice sheet disintegrates and starts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/tipping-points-are-so-dangerous-because-if-you-pass-them-the-climate/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The climate is nearing tipping points. Changes are beginning to appear and there is a potential for explosive changes, effects that would be irreversible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-climate-is-nearing-tipping-points-changes-are-beginning-to-appear/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [“In the end, Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action. Look at the world around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/in-the-end-tipping-points-are-a-reaffirmation-of-the-potential-for/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [While the high-level climate talks pursue their stately progress towards some ill-defined destination, down in the trenches there is an undercurrent of suppressed panic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwynne-dyer/while-the-high-level-climate-talks-pursue-their-stately-progress/) [Gwynne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwynne-dyer/) > [We don't know exactly where all the tipping points are in the physical world for inescapable damage, but we're clearly reaching close to some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-don-t-know-exactly-where-all-the-tipping-points-are-in-the/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We have to, in the next ten years, begin to decrease the rate of carbon dioxide emissions and then flatten it out. If that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-have-to-in-the-next-ten-years-begin-to-decrease-the-rate-of-carbon/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [We have at most ten years - not ten years to decide upon action, but ten years to alter fundamentally the trajectory of global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-have-at-most-ten-years-not-ten-years-to-decide-upon-action-but-ten-2/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [“Climate crisis presents nearly unfathomable urgency because of what scientists call “tipping points” – climate tripwires, so to speak. These thresholds, caused by human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-christina-wood/climate-crisis-presents-nearly-unfathomable-urgency-because-of-what/) [Mary Christina Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-christina-wood/) > [“In the end, Tipping Points are the reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/in-the-end-tipping-points-are-the-reaffirmation-of-the-potential-for/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Scientists warn that only a narrow window of opportunity remains in which to address climate emergency and other environmental calamities before irrevocable tipping points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-christina-wood/scientists-warn-that-only-a-narrow-window-of-opportunity-remains-in/) [Mary Christina Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-christina-wood/) > [“We have, in short, somehow become convinced that we need to tackle the whole problem, all at once. But the truth is that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-have-in-short-somehow-become-convinced-that-we-need-to-tackle-the/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“We can never make proper goodbyes. It was your last ride in a Checker cab and you had no warning. It was the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/we-can-never-make-proper-goodbyes-it-was-your-last-ride-in-a-checker/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I look at my kids and I feel I'm at the precipice of this job, like just kind of tipping over the other side.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-look-at-my-kids-and-i-feel-i-m-at-the-precipice-of-this-job-like/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) ## More by James Hansen > [Talking nice about sun and wind and green jobs is just greenwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/talking-nice-about-sun-and-wind-and-green-jobs-is-just-greenwash/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [What is frustrating people, me included, is that democratic action affects elections but what we get then from political leaders is greenwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/what-is-frustrating-people-me-included-is-that-democratic-action/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The five-year mean global temperature has been flat for the last decade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-five-year-mean-global-temperature-has-been-flat-for-the-last/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [What makes tar sands particularly odious is that the energy you get out in the end, per unit carbon dioxide, is poor. It's equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/what-makes-tar-sands-particularly-odious-is-that-the-energy-you-get/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Jail threats did not dissuade Martin Luther King - and intergenerational justice is a moral issue of comparable magnitude to civil rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/jail-threats-did-not-dissuade-martin-luther-king-and/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The United States did not sign Kyoto, yet its emissions are not that different from the countries that did sign it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-united-states-did-not-sign-kyoto-yet-its-emissions-are-not-that/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The five-year mean global temperature has been flat for the last decade, which we interpret as a combination of natural variability and a slow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-five-year-mean-global-temperature-has-been-flat-for-the-last-2/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Rising carbon price is essential to 'decarbonize' the economy - to remove the nation towards the era beyond fossil fuels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/rising-carbon-price-is-essential-to-decarbonize-the-economy-to-remove/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Policy decisions on climate change are being deliberated every day by those without full knowledge of the science, and often with intentional misinformation spawned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/policy-decisions-on-climate-change-are-being-deliberated-every-day-by/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [ Imagine a giant asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth. That is the equivalent of what we face now \[with climate change\], yet… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/imagine-a-giant-asteroid-on-a-direct-collision-course-with-earth-that/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The most difficult task, phase-out over the next 20-25 years of coal use that does not capture COâ‚‚, is Herculean, yet feasible when compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-most-difficult-task-phase-out-over-the-next-20-25-years-of-coal/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [As species are exterminated by shifting climate zones, ecosystems can collapse, destroying more species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/as-species-are-exterminated-by-shifting-climate-zones-ecosystems-can/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [I think we have a very brief window of opportunity to deal with climate change... no longer than a decade, at the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/i-think-we-have-a-very-brief-window-of-opportunity-to-deal-with/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The climate system is being pushed hard enough that change will become obvious to the man in the street in the next decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-climate-system-is-being-pushed-hard-enough-that-change-will/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Scientists will say we can't blame global warming for any single event. In a sense that's right, but the fact that the frequency and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/scientists-will-say-we-can-t-blame-global-warming-for-any-single/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) [Explore all 94 James Hansen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) ## 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. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. 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": "We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Hansen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-system-tipping-points-beyond-which/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Climate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-system-tipping-points-beyond-which/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/james-hansen-7143_climate_we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-syste_338367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.” — James Hansen", "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": "James Hansen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are on the precipice of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-system-tipping-points-beyond-which/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-system-tipping-points-beyond-which/#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 } } ] } ```