Published 21:45 IST, October 3rd 2019
Bill Gates book on fighting climate change to release by June 2020
The Microsoft founder Bill Gates will outline his ideas for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, whether through local, national or global action.
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Bill Gates is taking his fight against climate change to the printed page. Gates is working on “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” Doubleday announced Thursday. The Microsoft founder will outline his ideas for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, whether through local, national or global action. Gates said in a statement that he wanted to help “build the technologies, businesses, and industries to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
At the United Nations’ Climate Action Summit last month, Gates announced that his foundation was working with the World Bank and some European governments to provide $790 million to help millions of the world’s small farmers adapt to climate change. The Gates Foundation pledged $310 million of that. “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster” is scheduled for June 2020.
Experts say adapting to climate change can pay off manifold
A group of leaders from business, politics, and science has called for a massive investment in adapting to climate change over the next decade, arguing it would reap significant returns as countries avoid catastrophic losses and boost their economies.
The Global Commission on Adaptation, comprising dozens of prominent figures including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, urged governments and businesses to tackle the inevitable consequences of climate change, in addition to trying to curb it.
In their 81-page report released Tuesday, the experts proposed investing $1.8 trillion between 2020 and 2030 in areas such as early warning systems, infrastructure that can withstand rising sea levels and extreme weather, and boosting agriculture to cope with droughts. Other areas they propose investing in are bolstering scarce water resources and improving mangrove forests that provide key protection to vulnerable shorelines in developing nations.
The Gates Foundation pledged $310 million
Businesses and charities also got in on the act, at times even going bigger than major nations. Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced Monday that his foundation, along with The World Bank and some European governments, would provide $790 million in financial help to 300 million of the world’s small farmers adapt to climate change. The Gates Foundation pledged $310 million of that.
“The world can still prevent the absolute worst effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing new technologies and sources of energy,” Gates said. “But the effects of rising temperatures are already underway.”
19:54 IST, October 3rd 2019