---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to remind ourselves that our…"
description: "\"We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not to reduce greenhouse gases or global warming per se but to improve the quality of life and th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg"
---

#  We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not…

![“We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not to reduce greenhouse gases or global warming per se but to improve the quality of life and the environment. We all want to leave the planet in decent shape for our kids. Radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not necessarily the…” quote by Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg)

> “We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not to reduce greenhouse gases or global warming per se but to improve the quality of life and the environment. We all want to leave the planet in decent shape for our kids. Radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not necessarily the best way to achieve that.”

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Environmental policies should prioritize human well‑being and sustainable living over mere emission numbers.

**In simple terms:** Focus on quality of life.

Key Takeaway

Design climate solutions that improve daily life.

Themes

environment sustainability quality of life

Mood

thoughtful optimistic

Type

policy philosophical

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- public health
- education
- energy use

Key Concepts

systems thinking policy design

Questions to Reflect On

- How can policies benefit both people and planet?
- What metrics best reflect true sustainability?

A Different Perspective

Economic trade‑offs can hinder implementation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Emissions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emissions/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Gases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gases/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Greenhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greenhouse/) [Greenhouse gases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greenhouse-gases/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Ultimate goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-goal/) [Warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warming/)

## Related quotes

> [Sending a container from Shanghai to Le Havre emits fewer greenhouse gases than the truck that takes the container on to Lyon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/sending-a-container-from-shanghai-to-le-havre-emits-fewer-greenhouse/)

[Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/)

> [Those who deny human-caused climate change offer no compelling evidence to better explain the undeniable rise in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lowenthal/those-who-deny-human-caused-climate-change-offer-no-compelling/)

Alan Lowenthal

> [Even if we were to stop putting out greenhouse gases right now, we'd still face decades of warming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/even-if-we-were-to-stop-putting-out-greenhouse-gases-right-now-we-d/)

[Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/)

> [There's no shortage of Democrats who are at least as committed as Schwarzenegger to reducing greenhouse gases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-s-no-shortage-of-democrats-who-are-at-least-as-committed-as/)

[Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/)

> [I taught world history. I understand there was an Ice Age... seasons come and seasons go. I do not believe the world's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shimkus/i-taught-world-history-i-understand-there-was-an-ice-age-seasons-come/)

[John Shimkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shimkus/)

> [Carbon dioxide isn't the only greenhouse gas out there. Other substances, such as water vapor and nitrous oxide, also trap heat to varying degrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/carbon-dioxide-isn-t-the-only-greenhouse-gas-out-there-other/)

[Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/)

> [Natural gas emits only half the carbon dioxide of coal when burned, but if methane leaks when oil companies extract it from the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/natural-gas-emits-only-half-the-carbon-dioxide-of-coal-when-burned/)

[Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/)

> [I hope that in future Congresses there will reemerge a recognition that climate change is a reality, that our policies to meet our energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bingaman/i-hope-that-in-future-congresses-there-will-reemerge-a-recognition/)

[Jeff Bingaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bingaman/)

> [There is equal to employment,then it would be a worthy goal indeed to reduce the amount of unthere in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/there-is-equal-to-employment-then-it-would-be-a-worthy-goal-indeed-to/)

Mak\_786

> [The goal is not to improve one measurement in isolation. The goal is to reduce operational expenses AND reduce inventories and increase throughput simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-m-goldratt/the-goal-is-not-to-improve-one-measurement-in-isolation-the-goal-is/)

[Eliyahu M. Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-m-goldratt/)

> [I don't believe that the science is settled on man-made climate change. And so - while I live in Colorado - you see where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-don-t-believe-that-the-science-is-settled-on-man-made-climate/)

[Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/)

> [Nature conservation is not a luxury, it is a necessity! It not wise or sensible to continue to destroy your environment if you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-baha-el-din/nature-conservation-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-a-necessity-it-not-wise-or/)

[Mindy Baha El Din](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-baha-el-din/)

> [“I don't wanna be a product of my environment; I want my environment to be a product of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-wanna-be-a-product-of-my-environment-i-want-my-environment-to/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-product-of-my-environment-i-want-my-environment/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [If you care about the environment, you want food and energy production to become more efficient and centralized. You want to put less inputs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shellenberger/if-you-care-about-the-environment-you-want-food-and-energy-production/)

[Michael Shellenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shellenberger/)

## More by Thomas P.M. Barnett

> [Once Europe's colonial empires were sent into deep decline, thanks to World War II, America became globalization's primary replicating force, integrating Asia into its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/once-europe-s-colonial-empires-were-sent-into-deep-decline-thanks-to/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Despite living in this post-9/11 age of transnational terrorism, the risk of death during air travel has plummeted to the point where we now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/despite-living-in-this-post-9-11-age-of-transnational-terrorism-the/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [There is no battle space the U.S. Military cannot access. They said we couldn't do Afghanistan. We did it with ease. They said we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/there-is-no-battle-space-the-u-s-military-cannot-access-they-said-we/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [To ask a country with 750 million people living on less than a dollar a day to optimize their development for the environment as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/to-ask-a-country-with-750-million-people-living-on-less-than-a-dollar/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Most Americans have little idea of how far our nation's worldwide standing had fallen by the end of the Bush administration; no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/most-americans-have-little-idea-of-how-far-our-nation-s-worldwide/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [What makes a terrorist? Are the drivers primarily political or economic? Princeton economist Alan Krueger has made a great study of this question...What Makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/what-makes-a-terrorist-are-the-drivers-primarily-political-or/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Crafty politician that he is, Obama was smart enough to set low enough standards for his administration to claim 'victory' by the summer of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/crafty-politician-that-he-is-obama-was-smart-enough-to-set-low-enough/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Some Western demographers have posited, due to the female shortage created by the one-child policy, that China will be forced to field a vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/some-western-demographers-have-posited-due-to-the-female-shortage/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [During the cold war, it was easy for the Pentagon to justify its budget, as the Soviets essentially sized our forces for us. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/during-the-cold-war-it-was-easy-for-the-pentagon-to-justify-its/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [I don't think, post 9/11, we're going to wait for real obvious things like Country A attacking Country B - because Country A doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/i-don-t-think-post-9-11-we-re-going-to-wait-for-real-obvious-things/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [You cant drag people from understanding to action. A customer isnt actually at the last mile if youre the one dragging her to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/you-cant-drag-people-from-understanding-to-action-a-customer-isnt/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [An economically confident America has - since becoming a world power at the start of the 20th century - tended toward global engagement. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/an-economically-confident-america-has-since-becoming-a-world-power-at/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Great powers reserve the right to police bad actors in their neighborhoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/great-powers-reserve-the-right-to-police-bad-actors-in-their/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [The Department of Homeland Security is a strategic feel good measure. It's going to be the Department of Agriculture for the 21st century. TSA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/the-department-of-homeland-security-is-a-strategic-feel-good-measure/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [Is there anything about cyberspace that particularly screams Air Force? Not really. If cyber warfare is going to be as all-encompassing as it's made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/is-there-anything-about-cyberspace-that-particularly-screams-air/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

[Explore all 41 Thomas P.M. Barnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not to reduce greenhouse gases or global warming per se but to improve the quality of life and the environment. We all want to leave the planet in decent shape for our kids. Radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not necessarily the best way to achieve that.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas P.M. Barnett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ultimate-goal-is-not-to-reduce/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ultimate-goal-is-not-to-reduce/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/thomas-p-m-barnett-15900_achieve_we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ult_2947886.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We need to remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is not to reduce greenhouse gases or global warming per…” — Thomas P.M. Barnett",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Thomas P.M. Barnett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We need to remind ourselves that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ultimate-goal-is-not-to-reduce/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/we-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-our-ultimate-goal-is-not-to-reduce/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```