Bill Gates has urged a "strategic pivot" in global climate efforts, arguing that the world should focus on reducing disease and poverty rather than solely on near-term emissions goals. Writing on his Gates Notes website, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder criticised a "doomsday view" of climate change.
His comments came a day after the United Nations confirmed that humanity had failed to meet the 1.5C global heating target, with UN Secretary General António Guterres warning of "devastating consequences". Gates said climate change would not lead to "humanity's demise" and that people would continue to thrive in most places.
Gates described the upcoming Cop30 summit in Belém, Brazil, as an opportunity to refocus on "improving lives". He argued that for the world's poorest, poverty and disease remain greater threats than climate change itself. This viewpoint contrasts sharply with Guterres, who called for a dramatic reduction in emissions to avoid tipping points such as the Amazon rainforest turning into savannah.
