Bill Gates says the world must focus on human welfare and adaptation rather than apocalyptic climate narratives, calling for smarter use of limited global resources.
Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has called for a more balanced approach to tackling climate change, rejecting what he described as a “doomsday view” of the crisis.
In a memo released on Tuesday, Gates said that while climate change poses serious challenges, excessive alarmism risks overshadowing priorities such as global health and poverty alleviation.
“Climate change is serious, but we’ve made great progress,” he wrote. “We need to keep backing the breakthroughs that will help the world reach zero emissions. But we can’t cut funding for health and development — programs that help people stay resilient in the face of climate change — to do it.”
Gates’ comments come ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, where developing nations are expected to press for greater funding to strengthen adaptation systems and improve resilience.
Speaking on CNBC, Gates said his stance was influenced by deep cuts to global aid budgets by major economies. “The plea here is to say, OK, let’s take that very limited money and not have some partitioned off for particular causes,” he said, calling the U.S. government’s decision to slash aid “a huge disappointment.”
He reiterated support for the Paris Agreement but urged policymakers to “put human welfare at the center of our climate strategies,” emphasizing investments in clean energy, agriculture, and public health.
Gates warned that narrow focus on short-term emissions goals risks diverting attention from sustainable, people-centered climate solutions.