Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who authored the 2021 book *How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,* now urges a shift in how leaders approach climate change.
In a letter published Tuesday ahead of next week’s COP30 U.N. climate summit in Brazil, Gates argued that too many resources are focused solely on emissions and the environment. Instead, he believes more funding should be directed toward “improving lives” by combating disease and poverty.
“Climate is super important but has to be considered in terms of overall human welfare,” Gates told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin in an interview. “I didn’t pick that position because everybody agrees with it; I think intellectually it’s the right answer.”
Gates criticized the prevailing “doomsday view” of climate change and called for a “strategic pivot” to focus on issues with the greatest impact on human welfare. He wrote, “It’s the best way to ensure that everyone gets a chance to live a healthy and productive life no matter where they’re born, and no matter what kind of climate they’re born into.”
Earlier this year, Breakthrough Energy, Gates’ climate-focused investment fund, reportedly cut dozens of staffers. *The New York Times* reported in March that this move signaled how Gates is “retooling his empire for the Trump era.”
The upcoming climate summit comes nearly a decade after world leaders adopted the Paris Climate Agreement, which seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Gates has called that initial goal unrealistic.
Over the past decade, the U.S. government’s commitment to the agreement has fluctuated depending on the administration. The U.S. initially joined under President Barack Obama but withdrew under President Donald Trump in 2017. President Joe Biden later rejoined, though Trump issued an executive order to withdraw again during his hypothetical second term.
In 2017, Gates expressed that he was “deeply concerned” but “hopeful” the U.S. would continue supporting climate innovation after Trump left the agreement. Speaking to Sorkin, Gates said rolling back climate initiatives is a “huge disappointment” but praised companies like Microsoft for investing in alternative energy technologies. He emphasized that continued support of such innovations will help bring down costs.
Several major technology companies—including Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft—have set ambitious 2030 targets to reach net-zero emissions or become carbon negative. However, in February, Microsoft’s sustainability chief Melanie Nakagawa acknowledged that the company’s goals are now further out of reach as it doubles down on artificial intelligence (AI).
“However, the force creating this distance from our goals in the short term is the same one that will help us build a bigger, faster, and more powerful rocket to reach them in the long term: artificial intelligence,” Nakagawa wrote.
The surging energy demand to power growing data centers has raised concerns among climate activists. Regarding AI and worries about a potential investment bubble, Gates noted that many investments will be “dead ends.” Still, he added, “If you want to be a tech company, you don’t get to say no — let’s check out of this race.”
As the climate conversation evolves, Gates stresses the importance of balancing environmental goals with broader human welfare to create sustainable progress worldwide.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/bill-gates-says-countries-need-to-rethink-their-climate-strategy.html