Nadin Hassan

DUBAI: An effective transition to net zero requires an interdisciplinary approach that addresses manufacturing, agriculture, electricity and transport, according to tech and philanthropy giant Bill Gates.

In his address at the Business Philanthropy Climate Forum, held alongside the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, in Dubai, Gates reiterated that while the primary focus in climate discussions tends to highlight electricity and transport solely, climate goals will not be met without a holistic approach.

The priority in the shift must also take into account the most vulnerable members of the global population, who are especially susceptible to the effects of climate change, he explained.

Gates drew examples from farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, urging attendees to take their suffering into account, while calling on support for higher productivity and more resilience in livestock.

Gates said: “We need, for the sake of justice, to help people adjust to the planet that is already warmer … Our priority in this adaptation work should be those who are most affected. And the majority of those people are farmers in both sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and we can already see the crop loss that they’re suffering and what that means to them. So they need support to have higher productivity.”