How to Avoid a Climate Disaster
The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
by Bill Gates
Climate change. It can feel daunting. But Gates sheds light on the topic differently. He approaches the challenge like a CEO quarterbacking a massive corporate turnaround.
What’s in Gates’ forecast?
He aims for the stars with his moonshot mission to get from 51 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions to zero. Gates breaks the problem down into simple solutions for how society should operate as global citizens who have a responsibility. Things like how we plug in, make things, grow crops, and get around.
Crunching the numbers
Data illustrates the biggest contributors to climate change which are spread across electricity at 25%, 24% for agriculture, 24% for manufacturing, 14% for transportation, and 13% for buildings and other energy.
The agriculture section piqued my interest, namely accounting for land use, the American style diet is responsible for almost as many emissions as ALL energy Americans use in electricity, manufacturing, transportation and buildings. If cattle were their own country, it would rank 3rd in greenhouse gas emissions behind the US and China. It’s no surprise to me the Gates foundation has invested in both Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
How will you make a difference?
Anyone can make a difference. But there are always more ways to raise the bar. Gates’ How to Avoid a Climate Disaster offers practical ways to do so.
If your company is working on cool climate solutions, ZOOM would love to build your strategic positioning that steps up to and accepts Gate’s challenge.
Check out my other recommended books above and let me know what you’re reading.