--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody needs to understand that…" description: "\"Everybody needs to understand that policies are going to change to make it unprofitable if you wreck the planet, those companies that continue explorin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/jeffrey-sachs-9489_change_everybody-needs-to-understand-that-polic_2714386.jpg" --- # Everybody needs to understand that policies are going to… ![“Everybody needs to understand that policies are going to change to make it unprofitable if you wreck the planet, those companies that continue exploring and developing fossil fuel resources for which there is no safe use are going to pay a very heavy cost for that.” quote by Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/jeffrey-sachs-9489_change_everybody-needs-to-understand-that-polic_2714386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/jeffrey-sachs-9489_change_everybody-needs-to-understand-that-polic_2714386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/jeffrey-sachs-9489_change_everybody-needs-to-understand-that-polic_2714386.jpg) > “Everybody needs to understand that policies are going to change to make it unprofitable if you wreck the planet, those companies that continue exploring and developing fossil fuel resources for which there is no safe use are going to pay a very heavy cost for that.” [Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-sachs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Policies will become costly for companies that continue exploiting fossil fuels, as environmental damage makes such activities unprofitable. **In simple terms:** Fossil fuel exploitation will become financially risky. Key Takeaway Shift to sustainable practices now. Themes environment economics policy Mood urgent concerned Type policy economic When to use this quote - corporate strategy - investment decisions - regulatory compliance - public health Key Concepts externalities risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can companies balance short‑term profits with long‑term sustainability? - What incentives can accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels? A Different Perspective Transition costs may be high for industries reliant on fossil fuels. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing/) [Exploring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploring/) [Fossil fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fossil-fuel/) [Fossils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fossils/) [Fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel/) [Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy/) [Heavy Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-cost-2772914/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-understand-1016714/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Policies Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policies-going-2404554/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Understand Policies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-policies-2832648/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Wrecks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrecks/) ## Related quotes > [They think that, if we were just smart enough, we'd be able to understand their policies. 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We have to get to know one another; even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/everyone-needs-to-understand-that-we-were-meant-to-live-together-in/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [When the world makes no sense, go inside yourself, and listen carefully to your needs, until you understand once more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/when-the-world-makes-no-sense-go-inside-yourself-and-listen-carefully/) [Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/) > [Achieving the aims and ambitions of the Paris Agreement are not a given. The world needs to understand the urgency and complexity of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-espinosa/achieving-the-aims-and-ambitions-of-the-paris-agreement-are-not-a/) [Patricia Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-espinosa/) > [Each of us is a being in himself and a being in society, each of us needs to understand himself and understand others, take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haniel-long/each-of-us-is-a-being-in-himself-and-a-being-in-society-each-of-us/) [Haniel Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haniel-long/) ## More by Jeffrey Sachs > [Senior development specialists in the Treasury can be counted on one hand. America's government is not even aware of the gap between its commitments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-sachs/senior-development-specialists-in-the-treasury-can-be-counted-on-one/) [Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-sachs/) > [We're going to have to forgive a great deal of the Soviet era debt. 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