Doubt Quote by Michael R. Bloomberg
““The reality is that the uncertainty involved means we do not know with precision whether we can achieve either of those goals; nor do we know for certain what the consequences will be if we do not. Regardless, most people put little faith in projections that far out, which is understandable. Scientists have been wrong plenty of times before. What people want to know is not exactly what will happen to the Earth eighty years from now but what will happen to their house, their job, and their community this year. Telling people that they might possibly save the Earth from distant and uncertain harm is not a great way to convince them to support a particular policy.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Climate Policy Remarks, Michael Bloomberg, 2023
People care more about immediate personal impacts than distant, uncertain global outcomes, so framing climate action in terms of short‑term local benefits is more persuasive.
In simple terms: People focus on near‑term personal effects, not far‑future global risks.
Key Takeaway
Emphasize local, immediate benefits of climate policies.
Themes
climate change
communication
policy
psychology
behavior change
Mood
concerned
pragmatic
hopeful
Type
advice
persuasive
policy-oriented
When to use this quote
- community meetings
- local government briefings
- workplace sustainability programs
- school curricula
- media campaigns
Key Concepts
risk perception
temporal discounting
localism
trust
motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance short‑term incentives with long‑term climate goals?
- What local impacts matter most to your audience?
A Different Perspective
If local benefits are overstated, it may backfire when outcomes don’t materialize.
![“People are saying that they want be convinced [about global warming], perfectly. They want to know the climate science projections with 100 per cent certainty. Well, we know a great deal and even with that there is still uncertainty. But the trend line is very clear. We never have 100 per cent…” quote by Gordon R. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/27d/gordon-r-sullivan-54110_battlefields_people-are-saying-that-they-want-be-conv_2853383.jpg)
