Bill Gates

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

1. IDEA 1

   The world must reach zero emissions

   Gates argues that to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the world must cut greenhouse gas emissions from around 51 billion tons a year to zero. He believes this is hard but possible.

2. IDEA 2

   Green options cost more

   Gates introduces green premiums, the extra cost of choosing a clean option over a polluting one. Lowering these premiums, he argues, is key. In his view, when a clean option costs far more, many buyers cannot choose it.

3. IDEA 3

   Making things pollutes

   Gates explains that manufacturing, especially of cement and steel, produces a large share of emissions. In his account, these materials are everywhere in modern life, and today's methods of making them release large amounts of gas.

All 8 ideas from How to Avoid a Climate Disaster →