Change Quote by Naomi Klein
“We have a structural problem because you can simultaneously understand the medium to long-term risks of climate change and also come to the conclusion that it is in your short-term economic interest to invest in oil and gas. Which is why, you know, anybody who tells you that the market is going to fix this on its own is lying to you.”
About This Quote
Source Book: This Changes Everything, 2014
The quote highlights the conflict between long‑term climate risk awareness and short‑term profit motives, exposing market complacency as a lie.
In simple terms: People ignore climate risk for short‑term profit.
Key Takeaway
Challenge short‑term profit motives, prioritize climate action.
Themes
climate
economics
politics
ethics
Mood
urgent
determined
Type
political
inspirational
When to use this quote
- government regulation
- investment decisions
- public advocacy
- corporate strategy
Key Concepts
risk assessment
market failure
policy
activism
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies could align profit with climate health?
- How can individuals influence market behavior?
A Different Perspective
It may understate the role of individual consumer choices.
![“The climate, financial and national security crises are all connected. They share the same cause: Our [the USA's] absurd dependency on foreign oil. As long as we need to spend billions of dollars each year to buy foreign oil from state-run oil companies in the Persian Gulf, our problems of a trade…” quote by Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8d7/al-gore-609_absurd_the-climate-financial-and-national-secur_489028.jpg)
