Bill Gates has shared the top advice he'd like to give the next generation, simply urging them to 'learn about climate change'.
Gates took part in a Reddit Ask Me Anything - his ninth AMA, in fact - following the publication of his new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.
"There's been exciting progress in the more than 15 years that I've been learning about energy and climate change," he wrote as he introduced himself in the thread yesterday (19 March).
Advert
"What we need now is a plan that turns all this momentum into practical steps to achieve our big goals."
He added: "You can ask me some more about climate change, Covid-19, or anything else."
The thread garnered more than 13,000 comments, with many Reddit users tuning in to ask Gates a question.
Advert
One person asked: "What one piece of advice you would give to a 19-year-old?"
In Gates' reply, he simply stressed the importance of young people educating themselves about climate change.
He said: "You should learn about climate change. It doesn't need to be a full time thing - you should pick the job you care about and feel you can contribute to but also have goals that aren't just about your own success."
Another user asked the Microsoft co-founder: "What niche technology do you believe could play a significant role in the future in the battle against climate change?"
Gates responded: "We need a lot of technologies - synthetic meat, energy storage, new ways of making building materials... We want to be open to ideas that seem wild. Fusion might come along but we can't count on it."
Advert
Another user, who said they lived in Winnipeg, Canada, asked how they could get their local authorities to do something that would have a 'positive impact on climate change while being cash positive or having a tiny green premium'.
Gates wrote back: "Electric buses are becoming economic. There has been an issue with cold and hot temperatures but that is being solved as the demand scales up.
"Cities are often involved in electricity generation so they can help drive demand for clean generation."
A fourth also asked what the 'best scenario' would be if we did nothing about climate change, to which Gates replied: "It gets worse over time and natural ecosystems go away. The migration away from the unlivable areas around the equator will be massive. We won't be able to support a large population if it gets a lot warmer."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: World News, climate change, News, Reddit, bill gates