"And, if we are going to be successful in the energy revolution that must take place if we are going to prevent irreversible climate change, not to say for our own economic benefit, we need quickly to turn down these walls of division and separation between the different clean energy systems"
About this Quote
The most revealing language is "turn down these walls of division and separation between the different clean energy systems". He is not just advocating renewables; he is criticizing the siloed way institutions, industries, and even nations think about them. The subtext is that one of the biggest obstacles to decarbonization is not technological scarcity but political and bureaucratic fragmentation. Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal: the problem is less whether they exist than whether governments and markets can stop defending turf long enough to integrate them.
Coming from Grimsson, the line also carries the authority of a statesman from a country often used as a proof of concept for clean energy ambition. Iceland gives him a credible platform for arguing that the green transition is not utopian branding but governable reality. His intent is coalition-building. He is trying to dissolve a false choice between environmental survival and economic self-interest, while also warning that clean energy tribalism can become its own kind of inertia. The rhetoric works because it makes cooperation sound not merely virtuous, but necessary for survival and prosperity alike.
Quote Details
| Source | The Switch Interview, Switch Energy Alliance |
|---|---|
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Grímsson, Ólafur Ragnar. (2026, March 15). And, if we are going to be successful in the energy revolution that must take place if we are going to prevent irreversible climate change, not to say for our own economic benefit, we need quickly to turn down these walls of division and separation between the different clean energy systems. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-if-we-are-going-to-be-successful-in-the-186102/
Chicago Style
Grímsson, Ólafur Ragnar. "And, if we are going to be successful in the energy revolution that must take place if we are going to prevent irreversible climate change, not to say for our own economic benefit, we need quickly to turn down these walls of division and separation between the different clean energy systems." FixQuotes. March 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-if-we-are-going-to-be-successful-in-the-186102/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"And, if we are going to be successful in the energy revolution that must take place if we are going to prevent irreversible climate change, not to say for our own economic benefit, we need quickly to turn down these walls of division and separation between the different clean energy systems." FixQuotes, 15 Mar. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-if-we-are-going-to-be-successful-in-the-186102/. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
