Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is urging a paradigm shift in the global approach to climate change, emphasizing that solutions should prioritize human welfare over mere temperature targets. In his recent memo titled ‘A New Way to Look at the Problem,’ Gates argues that the fight against climate change must not undermine health, development, and poverty reduction, particularly in the world’s poorest nations. He calls for a ‘strategic pivot’ from focusing solely on limiting rising temperatures to addressing poverty and preventing diseases. Gates reassures that while climate change is a serious issue, it ‘will not be the end of civilisation,’ and he believes that innovation and science will be central to managing its impacts. He projects that by 2100, average global temperatures could rise by 2°C to 3°C compared to pre-industrial levels, surpassing the 1.5°C limit set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, he is optimistic that new zero-carbon technologies will become widely available within the next decade, enabling countries to meet rising energy demands without exacerbating climate change. Gates also stresses that success in combating climate change should be measured by improvements in people’s lives, especially in low-income countries, rather than just reductions in emissions or global temperature. Through Breakthrough Energy, Gates has supported over 150 companies working on solutions ranging from low-carbon cement and steel to advanced geothermal energy and AI-driven agriculture. He warns that climate policies must not deepen inequality, citing examples of well-meaning policies that left poor communities worse off, such as fertiliser bans that caused food shortages. Gates believes that focusing on energy, agriculture, and health will have the greatest impact on people’s ability to withstand climate challenges, particularly in developing nations. He emphasizes that health and economic growth can reduce climate-related deaths more effectively than any single environmental measure, citing research from the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab that shows economic growth in low-income countries could cut climate-related deaths by more than 50% by the end of the century. Gates outlines two key priorities for the international climate agenda: driving the Green Premium — the extra cost of choosing clean technologies over fossil fuels — down to zero, and rigorously measuring impact to ensure limited resources go toward initiatives that deliver the greatest benefits for human welfare, from vaccines and malaria prevention to agricultural innovation.
Climate change ‘will not end civilisation’: Bill Gates points out 3 tough truths
