Bill Gates co-founder of technology company Microsoft. He is one of the top richest people in the world. He is also the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. On October 18, on his website Gates Notes, he wrote about the progress, shortfalls and actions to be taken in the journey towards environmentally friendly energy to avoid the disaster caused by the impact of climate change.
My knowledge about climate change started 15 years ago. Then I came to three conclusions. First, avoiding the catastrophe caused by climate change will be one of the biggest challenges that humanity will ever face. Second, the only way to avoid disaster is to develop and increase the use of environmentally friendly fuels. Third, we must not stop, we must move forward.
Since then, there has been huge investment in the sector at the private and public levels, which has accelerated the development of environmentally friendly energy; Actually I didn’t expect that much. This progress makes me optimistic about the future.
But at the same time I am equally realistic about the current situation. Globally, 5 billion tons of greenhouse gases are being released annually. We have to bring it down to zero. But carbon emissions are increasing every year. If you follow the annual reports of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), you will see that limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or even 2 degrees Celsius, is getting out of reach. It is still too late to start using many of the environmentally friendly technologies that we need for this. If they are affordable, we can use them on a large scale.
In the last decade, we have started walking on the path of using environmentally friendly energy. In the next three decades we will have to go far and faster. I am still optimistic about avoiding climate catastrophe. I believe that if the next generation can be dedicated to dealing with this biggest crisis in human history, then it will not be difficult to avoid the disaster.
Why is fuel conversion so difficult?
To understand the issue of reducing carbon emissions to zero, we have to ask how 5 billion tons of carbon are released into the atmosphere every year. Unfortunately, it is true that these carbon emissions are happening everywhere and from everything.
Everything: Virtually every human activity produces greenhouse gas emissions. Naturally, electricity comes up. In this case it is possible to reduce the carbon emission to zero. Because wind and solar power are now cheaper than fossil fuels. 26 percent of the world’s total carbon emissions come from electricity generation. Similarly, lithium-ion batteries are enabling future car travel to be carbon-free. The entire transport sector is responsible for 16 percent of global total carbon emissions. And about half of that carbon emissions come from cars. However, lithium-ion batteries do not have much use in long-haul aviation, cargo ships and large trucks.
Agriculture accounts for 21 percent of global carbon emissions, and housing construction accounts for 7 percent. The manufacturing sector is responsible for the largest—30 percent—carbon emissions, the things on which our modern lifestyles depend.
Such as production of cement, plastic and steel products. There is not a single cement factory in the world that does not emit carbon dioxide. However, there is only one steel factory, which does not emit carbon dioxide.
So if you took the bus to your concrete and steel office this morning and read this while eating lunch in a plastic container, you’ll begin to see how we’re contributing to this problem (the climate crisis)—however small. or more.
Everywhere : More than 70 countries around the world have pledged to equalize greenhouse gas emissions and absorption or reach ‘net zero’. Among them are the United States and the European Union, the largest carbon emitters. Even if the US and Europe reach their goals, we will still not solve the problem.
Three-quarters of the world’s population lives in developing economies such as Brazil, China, India and South Africa. Although historically the role of these countries in climate change is small. However, these countries are now responsible for two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. China alone accounts for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. So the solution is not dependent on any single country or region. All countries must act together, or the mercury will continue to rise.
So the challenge of everything everywhere can be met in three steps. First, we need to use new environmentally friendly technologies to replace the carbon-intensive processes we are currently undergoing. For example, building steel, flying airplanes or increasing the fertility of land requires new approaches.
Second, new environmentally friendly technologies must be made affordable. It should be brought at such a price that the poor countries can also use the technology, not just for a few rich countries.
The third phase of the solution is to accelerate the use of these technologies. For example, there are currently 2,412 coal-fired power plants in the world. This number is still increasing. But eventually each of these will have to be converted into eco-friendly fuel-based power plants.
The way the world is moving forward
A lot has changed since the COP-21 conference in Paris, France in 2015. At that conference, the governments of 22 countries launched an initiative called ‘Mission Innovation’. Since then, government spending on climate research and development has increased by about one-third.
I attended that conference as a member of a group of investors. The group of investors then launched a fund called ‘Breakthrough Energy Ventures’. There are now hundreds of companies under it, who are using eco-friendly technologies. In the meantime, more investments are being made in this sector from other initiatives as well. As a result, climate research and development in the private sector is accelerating.
The public sector is also moving forward by adopting effective policies. More ambitious goals have been set in recent years.
In the past 12 months, the US Congress has passed three climate-related laws, and three have been signed into law by President Joe Biden. Under these, an investment opportunity of 5 billion dollars has been created for environmentally friendly energy in the United States. On the other hand, in 2021, the European Union has included in the law the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and equivalent removal from the atmosphere (net zero) by 2050. That same year they reduced their carbon emissions reduction target from 55 percent to 40 percent by 2030 (compared to 1990). The issue of making a specific plan in this regard is going through the legal process.
What the world must do
What we are facing now has never happened before in human history. Investment, policy adoption, innovation and overall public awareness to make climate change a priority. A recent survey found that most people now see climate change as a bigger threat than any other issue. In addition, more people than ever before are taking individual steps to reduce carbon emissions. This grassroots initiative collectively sends a strong message to business and government policymakers that more needs to be done.
This means three things here—further research, development and public demonstration; Developing a fair and effective process and helping people adapt to climate change impacts. Because whatever we do now, we must continue to deal with the effects of climate change.
Journey towards ‘Net Zero’
Ultimately, the measure of success in global greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce our annual emissions from 5,100 tonnes to zero over the next three decades. But there are many shortcomings in the question of its implementation. Investments in the development, public demonstration and use of environmentally friendly technologies come first. Reducing greenhouse emissions is number two. After paying the green premium (the extra cost for environmentally friendly technology), the more affordable the green technology, the more likely it will be used.
I am optimistic about what people are capable of doing in times of crisis. As a result I am not willing to bet against us. But unfortunately, we don’t have time to waste. We have already achieved many breakthroughs in energy. We must make more progress, faster, to avoid climate catastrophe.