The solutions we have and the breakthroughs we need
Bill Gates is not a climate scientist - yet he is the ideal author of a book on how to prevent climate catastrophe. This multimillionaire, philanthropist and science lover has been investing in greenhouse gas reduction research for years; He meets with the world's leading scientists and politicians about it and has gained insight into the whole issue like few others.
In his book, he presents a radical but thoroughly grounded thesis: Stopping the growth of emissions, or even reducing them a little, is not enough to maintain the current state of nature and life on Earth. It is necessary to get emissions to zero. Does that sound unrealistic? Gates' main message may surprise you even more: We can do this.
Gates openly admits that scientific knowledge has its limits. Nevertheless, the book manages to elucidate the main mechanisms of ongoing climate change and determine how much various aspects of human activity, such as transport, are contributing to it (spoiler: not so much), agriculture or construction.
However, merely cutting back is not enough to bring about the much needed turnaround - even the global pandemic of covid-19 failed to reduce emissions by more than 5%. Gates therefore gives an insight into the current outlook for technological research, from alternative energy sources to methods of capturing emissions in the atmosphere. It offers guidance on how to effectively address and discuss this extraordinary challenge at all levels - personal and political. Self-critically, he does not shy away from the question of his own carbon footprint and explains how he is trying to make amends.
This book is not only for those suffering from environmental anxiety, but for all of us. If we transform the way we live, work and do business, we can do it: we will prevent a climate catastrophe.
