Nuclear energy, in terms of an overall safety record, is better than other energy.
Bill GatesRead
By the time we see that climate change is really bad, your ability to fix it is extremely limited... The carbon gets up there, but the heating effect is delayed. And then the effect of that heat on the species and ecosystem is delayed. That means that even when you turn virtuous, things are actually going to get worse for quite a while.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Climate change impacts are delayed, making it harder to reverse damage once it's recognized.
Bill Gates emphasizes that the consequences of climate change are not immediately apparent; when we finally acknowledge the severity of the situation, it is often too late to mitigate the effects that have already begun. The delayed reactions of the environment mean that efforts to improve the situation will continue to face worsening conditions for a significant period, highlighting the urgent need for proactive measures.
Themes
Climate ChangeEnvironmentDelayCarbonEcosystemAwareness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a presentation on environmental policy reforms to emphasize the urgency of action.
More from Bill Gates
All quotes →The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.
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With the states release today of a set of clear and consistent academic standards, our nation is one step closer to supporting effective teaching in every classroom, charting a path to college and careers for all students, and developing the tools to help all children stay motivated and engaged in their own education. The more states that adopt these college and career based standards, the closer we will be to sharing innovation across state borders and becoming more competitive as a country.
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About three million computers get sold every year in China, people don't pay for the software. Someday they will, though. And as long as they're going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.
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Internet TV and the move to the digital approach is quite revolutionary. TV has historically has been a broadcast medium with everybody picking from a very finite number of channels.
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These four policy prescriptions - strengthening educational opportunities, revamping immigration rules for highly skilled workers, increasing federal funding for basic scientific research, and providing incentives for private-sector R&D - should in my view be top priorities as Congress and the Administration consider how to maintain the nation's leadership in science, technology, and innovation.
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