Any objective look at what science has to say about climate change ought to be sufficient to persuade reasonable people that the climate is changing and that humans are responsible for a substantial part of that - and that these changes are doing harm and will continue to do more harm unless we start to reduce our emissions.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that scientific evidence clearly shows human-induced climate change is harmful, necessitating action to reduce emissions.
John Holdren's quote articulates the urgent need for recognition and action regarding climate change. He argues that a rational examination of scientific findings should convince reasonable individuals that climate change is real, primarily driven by human activities, and poses serious risks to our environment and future. The message underscores the imperative to mitigate these effects by taking significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In practice
In a speech addressing environmental activists, one might use this quote to highlight the urgency of climate action.
Humanity cannot afford to muddle through the rest of the twentieth century; the risks are too great, and the stakes are too high. This may be the last opportunity to choose our own and our descendants’ destiny. Failing to choose or making the wrong choices may lead to catastrophe. But it must never be forgotten that the right choices could lead to a much better world.
More than any other product of human scientific culture scientific knowledge is the collective property of all mankind.
Japan is a model already to the lie that economic growth is the key to our future. If they can really show an alternative to nukes and fossil fuels, then they will be the poster boy for the renewable energy for the future.
In the experimental sciences, the epochs of the most brilliant progress are almost always separated by long intervals of almost absolute repose.
Most Jupiter-sized planets orbit the mother star in a highly elliptical orbit. This means they will often cross the orbit of any Earth-like planet and fling it into outer space, making life impossible. But our Jupiter travels in a near-perfect circular orbit, preventing a collision with any Earth-like planet, making life possible.
It is always noteworthy that all those who seriously study this science [the theory of numbers] conceive a sort of passion for it.
The universe is very big - there's about 100,000 million galaxies in the universe, so that means an awful lot of stars. And some of them, I'm pretty certain, will have planets where there was life, is life, or maybe will be life. I don't believe we're alone.
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