An overemphasis on near-term emissions goals is diverting resources from things we can do right now to ‘improve life in a warming world,’ like tackling poverty and disease, Gates says.
Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates is softening his tone on the dangers of climate change, which he admits some critics might view as hypocritical.
Gates has long pushed for governments to combat climate change because rising temperatures risk disrupting food supplies and exacerbating poverty. But on Tuesday, the Microsoft co-founder published a blog post that dials back the “doomsday view of climate change.”
“Although climate change will have serious consequences—particularly for people in the poorest countries—it will not lead to humanity’s demise”, he writes. “Unfortunately, the doomsday outlook is causing much of the climate community to focus too much on near-term emissions goals, and it’s diverting resources from the most effective things we should be doing to improve life in a warming world.”
Gates cited “poverty and disease” as two of the biggest problems facing humanity. “Our chief goal should be to prevent suffering, particularly for those in the toughest conditions who live in the world’s poorest countries,” he wrote.
