--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yes, climate change is an existential…" description: "\"Yes, climate change is an existential threat, but there's also kind of this existential issue of why is it that as our society is progressing... things..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/saikat-chakrabarti-19181_change_yes-climate-change-is-an-existential-thr_2589969.jpg" --- # Yes, climate change is an existential threat, but there's… ![“Yes, climate change is an existential threat, but there's also kind of this existential issue of why is it that as our society is progressing... things seem to be regressing and getting worse for a large number of people? Why is that happening? How do we fix that?” quote by Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/saikat-chakrabarti-19181_change_yes-climate-change-is-an-existential-thr_2589969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/saikat-chakrabarti-19181_change_yes-climate-change-is-an-existential-thr_2589969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/saikat-chakrabarti-19181_change_yes-climate-change-is-an-existential-thr_2589969.jpg) > “Yes, climate change is an existential threat, but there's also kind of this existential issue of why is it that as our society is progressing... things seem to be regressing and getting worse for a large number of people? Why is that happening? How do we fix that?” [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal progress can coexist with worsening conditions for many, highlighting systemic inequality and policy failures. **In simple terms:** Progress and regression can happen together. Key Takeaway Address inequality and reform policies. Themes inequality policy progress regression climate change Mood concerned urgent Type analytical call to action When to use this quote - urban planning - public policy - community activism - education reform Key Concepts systemic risk social justice environmental justice Questions to Reflect On - What policies most protect vulnerable groups? - How can climate action also reduce social inequality? A Different Perspective Complex issues need coordinated multi‑sector solutions, not single fixes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [Existential Issue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential-issue-1852663/) [Existential Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential-threat-322347/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Things Regressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-regressing-1852664/) ## Related quotes > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [For my generation, coming of age at the height of the Cold War, fear of nuclear winter seemed the leading existential threat on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/for-my-generation-coming-of-age-at-the-height-of-the-cold-war-fear-of/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Climate change is an existential threat to our economy, and ultimately to civilisation as we know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-lewis/climate-change-is-an-existential-threat-to-our-economy-and-ultimately/) [Clive Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-lewis/) > [For those who control the levers of power in Washington, and for the global special interests, they partner with these people that don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/for-those-who-control-the-levers-of-power-in-washington-and-for-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Around the world, climate change is an existential threat - but if we harness the opportunities inherent in addressing climate change, we can reap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/around-the-world-climate-change-is-an-existential-threat-but-if-we/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Well, Israel, obviously, thinks of the Iranian nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/well-israel-obviously-thinks-of-the-iranian-nuclear-program-as-an/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [The single biggest existential threat that's out there, I think, is cyber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/the-single-biggest-existential-threat-that-s-out-there-i-think-is/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [So when you're dealing with an existential threat like death or like climate change, if you see it as 'we are all toast anyway,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-inglis/so-when-you-re-dealing-with-an-existential-threat-like-death-or-like/) [Bob Inglis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-inglis/) > [My reading of the threat from Iran is that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, it is an existential threat to the State of Israel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-reading-of-the-threat-from-iran-is-that-if-iran-acquires-nuclear/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The caliphate will have been dismantled. It will still be a problem, but that has been our focus because that is the greatest existential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-caliphate-will-have-been-dismantled-it-will-still-be-a-problem/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The financial system in its current condition poses an existential threat to Western democracy far exceeding any terrorist threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/the-financial-system-in-its-current-condition-poses-an-existential/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/i-think-we-should-be-very-careful-about-artificial-intelligence-if-i/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [For years, I referred to climate change as an 'existential' threat to human civilization, and called it a 'crisis.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shellenberger/for-years-i-referred-to-climate-change-as-an-existential-threat-to/) [Michael Shellenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shellenberger/) > [Climate change is an existential threat to the health, national security, economic prosperity, and future of the American people and our planet. Our habitat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/climate-change-is-an-existential-threat-to-the-health-national/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [“It will work,” Sanha affirmed. “The A.I. was created to be good. Just like a human, it cannot fundamentally change that part of itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simpson/it-will-work-sanha-affirmed-the-a-i-was-created-to-be-good-just-like/) [David Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simpson/) ## More by Saikat Chakrabarti > [Similar to how 'Abolish ICE' rang the bell on this huge crisis on immigration, unifying around not taking corporate-PAC money gets everybody to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/similar-to-how-abolish-ice-rang-the-bell-on-this-huge-crisis-on/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [Bernie is great, but we've got to keep this political revolution going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/bernie-is-great-but-we-ve-got-to-keep-this-political-revolution-going/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [Having presidential candidates say they are supportive of the concept of doing something like the Green New Deal is amazing, but it's not sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/having-presidential-candidates-say-they-are-supportive-of-the-concept/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [The interesting thing about the Green New Deal is it wasn't originally a climate thing at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/the-interesting-thing-about-the-green-new-deal-is-it-wasn-t/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [I don't think people have to be personally racist to enable a racist system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/i-don-t-think-people-have-to-be-personally-racist-to-enable-a-racist/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [Progressives think the way to win is mobilizing and convince people to vote for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/progressives-think-the-way-to-win-is-mobilizing-and-convince-people/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [We need new leaders, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/we-need-new-leaders-period/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [You have to decide to create the society you want to create, and that's done through politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/you-have-to-decide-to-create-the-society-you-want-to-create-and-that/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [I am talking about the radical conservatives in the Democratic Party. That's who we need to counter. It's the same across any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/i-am-talking-about-the-radical-conservatives-in-the-democratic-party/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [It's not at all a secret that I was one of the co-founders of Brand New Congress, and we've never tried to hide our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/it-s-not-at-all-a-secret-that-i-was-one-of-the-co-founders-of-brand/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [I don't know if it's a uniquely American thing, but I associate it that way. People get excited by this idea of, 'Let's come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-a-uniquely-american-thing-but-i-associate-it/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [We think climate change is important enough to get its own select committee. It would be in addition to the Energy and Commerce Committee's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/we-think-climate-change-is-important-enough-to-get-its-own-select/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [I like to show my cards and see people's reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/i-like-to-show-my-cards-and-see-people-s-reactions/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [I think Trump uses social media as a way to get to people's lowest common denominator. He uses it to incite fear. He talks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/i-think-trump-uses-social-media-as-a-way-to-get-to-people-s-lowest/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) > [It's fairly common for new members of Congress to hire their former campaign managers onto their official staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saikat-chakrabarti/it-s-fairly-common-for-new-members-of-congress-to-hire-their-former/) [Saikat Chakrabarti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) [Explore all 33 Saikat Chakrabarti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saikat-chakrabarti/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Yes, climate change is an existential threat, but there's also kind of this existential issue of why is it that as our society is progressing... things seem to be regressing and getting worse for a large number of people? 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