Bill Gates Urges Climate Priorities Shift Ahead of COP30

Bill Gates published a memo ahead of COP30 saying climate change is a very serious problem but “will not lead to humanity’s demise,” rejecting what he calls a “doomsday view” that overemphasizes near‑term emissions targets. He urged a strategic pivot toward interventions that prevent suffering—particularly combating disease and poverty in the poorest countries—and argued that progress should be measured in lives saved and suffering prevented as well as by temperature metrics. Gates said emissions projections have improved but that continued investment and innovation are essential to drive emissions down, and he warned that health and development funding must not be sacrificed for short‑term emissions targets. The memo has reignited debate, with supporters praising its focus on human welfare and critics accusing Gates of backtracking or hypocrisy; the note also reflects recent institutional shifts, including cuts at Breakthrough Energy.