Bill Gates urges global leaders to prioritize reducing human suffering over strict temperature targets at COP30.

Bill Gates, in a 17-page memo released ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, is urging world leaders to shift the global climate focus from solely reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prioritizing the reduction of human suffering, especially in poor nations. He argues that while climate change is serious, it won’t end civilization, and scientific innovation can help mitigate its effects. Gates contends that current climate efforts overemphasize temperature targets, diverting resources from urgent needs like eradicating malaria and fighting poverty, and suggests that a 0.1-degree rise in warming could be acceptable to eliminate such diseases. His call for a "strategic pivot" has sparked debate, with some experts agreeing on the need to prioritize human well-being, while others caution that climate action and poverty reduction must go hand in hand to avoid irreversible environmental damage and ensure long-term sustainability.