--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We rich nations, for that is what we are…" description: "\"“We rich nations, for that is what we are, have an obligation not only to the poor nations, but to all the grandchildren of the world, rich and poor. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/moss-cass-264400_conservation_we-rich-nations-for-that-is-what-we-are_3023204.jpg" --- # We rich nations, for that is what we are, have an… ![“We rich nations, for that is what we are, have an obligation not only to the poor nations, but to all the grandchildren of the world, rich and poor. We have not inherited this earth from our parents to do with it what we will. We have borrowed it from our children and we must be careful to use it…” quote by Moss Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/moss-cass-264400_conservation_we-rich-nations-for-that-is-what-we-are_3023204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/moss-cass-264400_conservation_we-rich-nations-for-that-is-what-we-are_3023204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/549/moss-cass-264400_conservation_we-rich-nations-for-that-is-what-we-are_3023204.jpg) > ““We rich nations, for that is what we are, have an obligation not only to the poor nations, but to all the grandchildren of the world, rich and poor. We have not inherited this earth from our parents to do with it what we will. We have borrowed it from our children and we must be careful to use it in their interests as well as our own . Anyone who fails to recognise the basic validity of the proposition put in different ways by increasing numbers of writers, from Malthus to The Club of Rome, is either ignorant, a fool, or evil.”” Moss Cass ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We owe the Earth to future generations; stewardship is a moral duty, not a right, demanding responsible use of resources. **In simple terms:** We must protect Earth for future generations. Key Takeaway Practice responsible stewardship. Themes environment ethics future responsibility Mood appeal philosophical Type Conservation:1 Different ways:0 Earth:1 Environmentalism:1 Inspirational:0 Money:0 Nature:1 Rich and poor:0 Science:0 Rich Nations:0 Inherited Earth:1 Nations Obligation:1 Nations Grandchildren:1 Obligation Poor:0 When to use this quote - Economic interests often conflict with stewardship. Key Concepts policy making education community projects Questions to Reflect On - concerned - urgent A Different Perspective What responsibilities do we have to future generations?;How can we balance growth and conservation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Environmentalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmentalism/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Rich and poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-and-poor/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Do not tell me of my obligation to put all poor men in good situations. Are they my poor? I tell thee, thou foolish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/do-not-tell-me-of-my-obligation-to-put-all-poor-men-in-good/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [God, what pathetic creatures had inherited the earth, to walk a little while with their eyes upon the stars and turn their gaze too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/god-what-pathetic-creatures-had-inherited-the-earth-to-walk-a-little/) [Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/) > [I haven't inherited the earth from my parents, I am borrowing it from my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-udall/i-haven-t-inherited-the-earth-from-my-parents-i-am-borrowing-it-from/) [Mark Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-udall/) > [What if the meek inherited the Earth and we had to defend ourselves from Martians?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/what-if-the-meek-inherited-the-earth-and-we-had-to-defend-ourselves/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [the distinction between rich nations and poor nations is one of the great dominant political and international themes of our century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/the-distinction-between-rich-nations-and-poor-nations-is-one-of-the/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [In my current work on global warming, I argue that the only apparent solution to the deep problem of climate change would require very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/in-my-current-work-on-global-warming-i-argue-that-the-only-apparent/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [“The geography hypothesis claims that the great divide between rich and poor countries is created by geographical differences. Many poor countries, such as those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/the-geography-hypothesis-claims-that-the-great-divide-between-rich/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [The catechism says rich nations should welcome strangers within the limits of the possible. In Italy, we have reached the limits of the possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-salvini/the-catechism-says-rich-nations-should-welcome-strangers-within-the/) [Matteo Salvini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-salvini/) > [The time has come for an all-out war against poverty. The rich nations must use their vast resources of wealth to develop the underdeveloped,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-time-has-come-for-an-all-out-war-against-poverty-the-rich-nations/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“The United States, which idealized itself as a classless society in which everyone had the opportunity to get ahead, had in fact fallen behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-united-states-which-idealized-itself-as-a-classless-society-in/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [Americans are no less susceptible to disease, joblessness, and family changes than their peers in rich nations, but they are made more fragile by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/americans-are-no-less-susceptible-to-disease-joblessness-and-family/) [Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/) > [The rich nations of the world are acting like ancient usurers, lending money to the desperate poor on terms that cannot possibly be met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-rich-nations-of-the-world-are-acting-like-ancient-usurers-lending/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [Poor nations are hungry, and rich nations are proud; and pride and hunger will ever be at variance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/poor-nations-are-hungry-and-rich-nations-are-proud-and-pride-and/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Humanity must accept that the food, the raw materials, the energy, the scientific knowledge and so on, belongs to everybody, that it is given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-creme/humanity-must-accept-that-the-food-the-raw-materials-the-energy-the/) [Benjamin Creme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-creme/) > [Resource-rich nations should not ignore efficiency simply because energy is abundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid-a-al-falih/resource-rich-nations-should-not-ignore-efficiency-simply-because/) [Khalid A. Al-Falih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid-a-al-falih/) ## More Conservation quotes > [“In the United States law, federally designated wilderness is famously defined as 'an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-marris/in-the-united-states-law-federally-designated-wilderness-is-famously/) [Emma Marris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-marris/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am optimistic globally. So many scientists are working frantically on the reparation of our planet. Unfortunately there are countries who are still destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-irwin/i-am-optimistic-globally-so-many-scientists-are-working-frantically/) [Steve Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-irwin/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) > [Listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act could harm bear conservation efforts by eliminating revenues from the carefully-regulated sport hunting of polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ridenour/listing-the-polar-bear-under-the-endangered-species-act-could-harm/) Amy Ridenour > [Conservation is humanity caring for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-newhall/conservation-is-humanity-caring-for-the-future/) Nancy Newhall > [In our attempt to make conservation easy, we have made it trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/in-our-attempt-to-make-conservation-easy-we-have-made-it-trivial/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/) [John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/) > [It's clear that it is in the best interest of business to be part of the conservation, along with governments and civil society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/it-s-clear-that-it-is-in-the-best-interest-of-business-to-be-part-of/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [To Jane Jacob’s three traditional urban values of civic space, human scale and diversity, the current environmental imperative adds two more: conservation and regionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-calthorpe/to-jane-jacob-s-three-traditional-urban-values-of-civic-space-human/) Peter Calthorpe > [Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/something-will-have-gone-out-of-us-as-a-people-if-we-ever-let-the/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [There is no domestic issue more important to America in the long run than the conservation and proper use of our natural resources, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-nelson/there-is-no-domestic-issue-more-important-to-america-in-the-long-run/) [Gaylord Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-nelson/) > [The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-conservation-of-natural-resources-is-the-fundamental-problem/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Browse all 579 Conservation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We rich nations, for that is what we are, have an obligation not only to the poor nations, but to all the grandchildren of the world, rich and poor. We have not inherited this earth from our parents to do with it what we will. We have borrowed it from our children and we must be careful to use it in their interests as well as our own . 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