Bill Gates: "If Climate Change Is Not Solved, the Entire Earth Will Experience Civil War and Chaos"

“Agriculture and Weekly Labor Become Impossible, Migration Will Lead to Civil War and Social Chaos”
“I’m Not from Hwaseong, I’d Rather Spend That Money on Vaccines Than Space Travel” Elon Musk’s Indirect Criticism

Microsoft founder Bill Gates defined the next 30 years as the deadline to solve the climate change problem. Photo by Bill Gates Twitter

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Microsoft (MS) founder Bill Gates has defined the next 30 years as the deadline to solve the climate change problem, warning that if a solution is not found within that time, the entire Earth will experience civil wars and social unrest.

In an interview with the US CBS network and others on the 16th (local time), Gates said, "Removing the 5.1 billion tons of greenhouse gases emitted annually requires a greater effort than anything humanity has ever done."

Recently, Gates published a book titled Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, defining climate change as a major crisis for humanity and proposing net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as the solution.

He also pointed out that if greenhouse gases are not removed in time, many countries will face not only agricultural failures but also the impossibility of outdoor labor during the day, leading tens of millions of people to migrate to other countries, which could trigger civil wars and large-scale social unrest in the process.

He described efforts by companies like Tesla to develop electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as relatively "easy," emphasizing that greater changes require tackling the production processes of steel, cement, and meat.

Gates continued, "If all you care about are short-term numbers and not the overall green premium, then you are missing what has the longest lead time (the time from the start of product production to completion)," adding, "not everyone is expected to give up beef to fight climate change, but I hope that by investing in plant-based alternatives, someday even meat-eaters will not be able to distinguish the qualitative difference."

He stressed that the next 30 years are the deadline to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and save the planet. Gates said, "The global automotive industry now says the era of gasoline engines is almost over," explaining that switching to environmentally friendly car models and pressuring public officials to take action on the crisis are among the daily actions we can take. He also emphasized that not only individuals but also companies should prioritize more eco-friendly purchases, such as buying sustainable aviation fuel and construction products.

Regarding the climate change crisis, Gates appeared to indirectly criticize Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla. Unlike Musk, who founded the space exploration company SpaceX and is engaged in space development, Gates said, "I am not a Mars person."

Gates acknowledged, "What Elon Musk has done through the electric vehicle company Tesla is one of the greatest contributions to fighting climate change by any individual, and that is an important fact," but added that he himself is "not a Mars person" and does not believe "rockets are the solution."

Finally, Gates said he would rather spend money on measles vaccines than on space rocket travel. He stated, "My (charitable) foundation can buy a measles vaccine for $1,000 and save lives, so I try not to spend a lot of money," adding, "So whatever I do, I always think, 'Yes, I could spend that $1,000 on buying measles vaccines.'"