--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we wait for the U.S. to do something…" description: "\"If we wait for the U.S. to do something, we will be waiting for a very long time. It's Europe, it's Australia, it's the other developed and middle deve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/susan-george-17151_australia_if-we-wait-for-the-u-s-to-do-something-w_2272512.jpg" --- # If we wait for the U.S. to do something, we will be… ![“If we wait for the U.S. to do something, we will be waiting for a very long time. It's Europe, it's Australia, it's the other developed and middle developing countries that have got to do the job.” quote by Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/susan-george-17151_australia_if-we-wait-for-the-u-s-to-do-something-w_2272512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/susan-george-17151_australia_if-we-wait-for-the-u-s-to-do-something-w_2272512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/susan-george-17151_australia_if-we-wait-for-the-u-s-to-do-something-w_2272512.jpg) > “If we wait for the U.S. to do something, we will be waiting for a very long time. It's Europe, it's Australia, it's the other developed and middle developing countries that have got to do the job.” [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Waiting for US action delays global progress; other nations must lead now. **In simple terms:** Don't rely on the US alone for change. Key Takeaway Act locally, think globally. Themes environment politics leadership Mood urgent determined Type activist persuasive When to use this quote - climate activism - international negotiations - grassroots movements Key Concepts global governance collective responsibility policy inertia Questions to Reflect On - What actions can your country take today? - How can you influence global policy? A Different Perspective US political gridlock can stall initiatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Australia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) [Developing countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing-countries/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I've done my time in being broke in Indonesia. Eating Goat soup. Australia's a developed country, you've got a lot of taxes, rents are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jack/i-ve-done-my-time-in-being-broke-in-indonesia-eating-goat-soup/) Andrew Jack > [I've been lucky to travel through quite a bit of Europe and Australia, but I would love to do Asia and South America and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/i-ve-been-lucky-to-travel-through-quite-a-bit-of-europe-and-australia/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [Dance music was really leading the way in the U.K., Europe and Australia. America was always about hip-hop and R&B.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tydi/dance-music-was-really-leading-the-way-in-the-u-k-europe-and/) [TyDi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tydi/) > [NATO has a special relationship with countries far away from Europe: Australia, Japan, South Korea. They have joint projects and programmes which are being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/nato-has-a-special-relationship-with-countries-far-away-from-europe/) [Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/) > [When one travels around the world, one notices to what an extraordinary degree human nature is the same, whether in India or America, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/when-one-travels-around-the-world-one-notices-to-what-an/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [If there's somewhere that in no way resembles Eastern Europe, it's Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/if-there-s-somewhere-that-in-no-way-resembles-eastern-europe-it-s/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [Also, it is interesting that developing countries, with China and India perhaps in the lead, where the future of the global environment will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/also-it-is-interesting-that-developing-countries-with-china-and-india/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [You can get an ice-cold Coke for around fifty cents in most developing countries, not just in the major population centers, but at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/you-can-get-an-ice-cold-coke-for-around-fifty-cents-in-most/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [I don't think that developing countries gained from a two-stage process. A single phase summit (which is, after all, a two year process, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/i-don-t-think-that-developing-countries-gained-from-a-two-stage/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [A multi-polar world can not exist without recognising the status and participation of developing countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/a-multi-polar-world-can-not-exist-without-recognising-the-status-and/) [Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/) > [The massive corruption common in so many developing countries would be quite impossible if Western countries did not provide convenient opportunities to ship ill-gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/the-massive-corruption-common-in-so-many-developing-countries-would/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [As developing countries became bigger traders, it was clear that the old way of doing business wouldn't fly. To get them back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-altman/as-developing-countries-became-bigger-traders-it-was-clear-that-the/) [Daniel Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-altman/) > [Today, being the biggest developing countries in the world, China and India are both committed to developing their economy and raising their people's living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/today-being-the-biggest-developing-countries-in-the-world-china-and/) [Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/) > [A small child from a developing country has the advantage, from a very early age, of having access to toys which structure his mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdoulaye-wade/a-small-child-from-a-developing-country-has-the-advantage-from-a-very/) [Abdoulaye Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdoulaye-wade/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More by Susan George > [I'm a radical reformist, because between where we are and where I want to go there's a great deal of work, and I won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/i-m-a-radical-reformist-because-between-where-we-are-and-where-i-want/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [There are a lot of people who don't contribute anything to consumption and production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-don-t-contribute-anything-to/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [I was recently looking at what they can actually do to reduce consumption of petrol. It would be quite possible to build automobiles out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/i-was-recently-looking-at-what-they-can-actually-do-to-reduce/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [Only around 2% of the earth's surface is cultivatable land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/only-around-2-of-the-earth-s-surface-is-cultivatable-land/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [It seems to be the thing now that young people are getting back into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/it-seems-to-be-the-thing-now-that-young-people-are-getting-back-into/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [The natural capital is not income, but we spend our natural capital as if it were revenue, as if it were going to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/the-natural-capital-is-not-income-but-we-spend-our-natural-capital-as/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [The Sierra Club in the United States has now really come out for population control and reduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/the-sierra-club-in-the-united-states-has-now-really-come-out-for/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [What's immediately profitable is the only kind of logic that capitalism understands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/what-s-immediately-profitable-is-the-only-kind-of-logic-that/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [We have the most crude accounting tools. It's tragic because our accounts and our national arithmetic doesn't tell us the things that we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/we-have-the-most-crude-accounting-tools-it-s-tragic-because-our/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [Much of what is called investment is actually nothing more than mergers and acquisitions, and of course mergers and acquisitions are generally accompanied by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/much-of-what-is-called-investment-is-actually-nothing-more-than/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [Having enough to eat, being able to educate your children, have reasonably stable employment, and being able to live in a society which isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/having-enough-to-eat-being-able-to-educate-your-children-have/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [Markets cant think about anything beyond about three months. This is very long-term for markets, which is why the important things in life have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/markets-cant-think-about-anything-beyond-about-three-months-this-is/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [If you cut down a forest, it doesn't matter how many sawmills you have if there are no more trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/if-you-cut-down-a-forest-it-doesn-t-matter-how-many-sawmills-you-have/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [Redistribution of wealth would require enormous amounts of investment. The only time an elite has accepted this has been during crises, such as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/redistribution-of-wealth-would-require-enormous-amounts-of-investment/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) > [I used to work a lot on food issues and every time somebody predicted that production would be inadequate they got egg on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-george/i-used-to-work-a-lot-on-food-issues-and-every-time-somebody-predicted/) [Susan George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) [Explore all 38 Susan George quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-george/) ## More Australia quotes > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I wanted to have a peaceful married life with my wife, so we both moved to Sydney in Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-roy/i-wanted-to-have-a-peaceful-married-life-with-my-wife-so-we-both/) [Rahul Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-roy/) > [It will be nice to play against Australia. It's a great country, and football is getting bigger and bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/it-will-be-nice-to-play-against-australia-it-s-a-great-country-and/) [Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/) > [We don't have any sailors in Australia, we have rowers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lexcen/we-don-t-have-any-sailors-in-australia-we-have-rowers/) Ben Lexcen > [I think that prosecuting some college kid because she shared a file is a lot like sending somebody to Australia 200 years ago for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-think-that-prosecuting-some-college-kid-because-she-shared-a-file/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Sydney CBD is the eastern city, Parramatta is the central city and Badgerys will be the third city in greater Sydney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-berejiklian/sydney-cbd-is-the-eastern-city-parramatta-is-the-central-city-and/) [Gladys Berejiklian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-berejiklian/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [As a young kid you stay up late to watch the Ashes, getting told off for not being in bed, and dream of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/as-a-young-kid-you-stay-up-late-to-watch-the-ashes-getting-told-off/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) > [I love coming out to Australia, if it weren't so far away I would go all the time. I've worked with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-morillo/i-love-coming-out-to-australia-if-it-weren-t-so-far-away-i-would-go/) [Erick Morillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-morillo/) > [What I appreciated was the fact that the script delved into how Australians were - and still are - condescended to by the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/what-i-appreciated-was-the-fact-that-the-script-delved-into-how/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [Okay the names 360, I run around tipsy. My fellas in Australia all sit with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/360/okay-the-names-360-i-run-around-tipsy-my-fellas-in-australia-all-sit/) 360 > [Coal is the moral choice, particularly for the developing world... The model for the world right now should be Australia. Australia gets it. Scientifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morano/coal-is-the-moral-choice-particularly-for-the-developing-world-the/) Marc Morano > [I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/i-want-to-be-part-of-the-team-that-wins-a-test-series-in-england-and/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) > [I was brought up in a Christian home in Australia with a father who was very bold about his faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/i-was-brought-up-in-a-christian-home-in-australia-with-a-father-who/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) [Browse all 1,907 Australia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we wait for the U.S. to do something, we will be waiting for a very long time. 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