Bill Gates Says Rich Countries 'Owe It To The World' To Get Themselves Down To Net Zero Emissions

Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp. MSFT co-founder and one of the most vocal advocates for large-scale climate solutions, is urging wealthy nations to lead the charge in achieving net-zero emissions, highlighting they have a global responsibility.

Speaking in Singapore at Temasek's flagship sustainability event, Ecosperity, Gates called for impactful investments in innovation to address the climate crisis head-on.

What Happened: During a fireside chat with Singapore's Ambassador for Climate Action, Ravi Menon, Gates stressed that while it may not be essential for every nation in the world to reach "absolute zero" emissions, rich countries that have access to the resources must do so.

"There are levels of emissions that are small enough that the temperature worsening actually is not a problem," he said. He also admitted that expecting the whole world to achieve net zero by 2050 is "not realistic" at this point, according to NBC.

Why It Matters: According to the United Nations, Net zero means "cutting carbon emissions to a small amount of residual emissions that can be absorbed and durably stored by nature and other carbon dioxide removal measures, leaving zero in the atmosphere."

Gates emphasized that rich nations should set examples by reaching net zero, aiding the world stay on track with the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. He mentioned that innovation is crucial to achieving these goals, but cited challenges like securing risk capital.

At the same conference, where he was present as the founder of founder of Breakthrough Energy, Gates also shared his belief that even though there is a "little less cooperation going on", referring to President Donald Trump's climate rollbacks, he does not "think that’s a permanent thing."

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