Overview
- Speaking at Caltech, Gates said resources are finite and he is shifting some philanthropic effort toward disease, malnutrition and poverty reduction while continuing to support emissions cuts and climate technology.
- He suggested warming could reach about 3 C by 2100 and promoted innovation to lower green premiums, highlighting nuclear fusion and geoengineering research as areas for investment.
- Climate scientists including Katharine Hayhoe, Zeke Hausfather and Daniel Swain denounced what they called a straw‑man portrayal of extinction claims and a false choice between climate action and poverty alleviation.
- President Trump and other skeptics cast the memo as a backtrack on climate; Gates called that a giant misreading and reiterated support for decarbonization.
- Mary Robinson and other advocates cautioned that a zero‑sum framing could justify cuts to climate finance as talks in Belém near, while some commentators praised Gates’ emphasis on human welfare and positive messaging.