Bill Gates cautions that the world is at risk of exceeding a 2-degree increase in warming.

Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist, expressed his concerns about the world overshooting a critical temperature threshold that could result in dangerous and potentially irreversible impacts. He made these comments during the COP28 climate conference in the United Arab Emirates.

Gates, known for his optimism, acknowledged that the world may not be able to prevent 2 degrees Celsius of global warming. He highlighted the need for adaptation measures and helping the poorest communities cope with human-induced climate change. Gates also emphasized the importance of minimizing damage to ecosystems, such as coral reefs.

The COP28 summit is a pivotal opportunity for policymakers and business leaders to accelerate climate action at a time when the world is on track to record its hottest year on record and extreme weather events are taking a toll globally. The summit will also assess how far off track countries are in meeting the goals of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Gates expressed hope in human innovation and better medicines but stressed the need to prioritize avoiding the negatives of climate change for the sake of future generations.

The United Nations Environment Programme has warned that current pledges under the Paris Agreement could lead to up to 2.9 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels, reaffirming the urgent need for increased climate action. The U.N. has also emphasized the importance of staying below the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold to avoid the worst of the climate crisis.

Overall, Gates sees a lot of positive things but stresses the need to prioritize avoiding the negatives of climate change for the sake of future generations.