Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, May 09, 2025

Bill Gates defends use of private jet amid fight against climate change

Bill Gates defends use of private jet amid fight against climate change

The Microsoft co-founder contested that he is 'part of the solution' to addressing climate change

Billionare philanthropist Bill Gates argued that it's not hypocritical for him to travel by private jet while simultaneously trying to fight climate change.

"What do you say to the charge that if you are a climate change campaigner, but you also travel around the world on a private jet, you're a hypocrite," BBC's Amol Rajan asked Gates during an interview in Kenya last week.

The co-founder of Microsoft – a fierce advocate for fighting climate change — said he isn't the problem. Rather, he contends he is the solution given all his efforts to address this issue, in part, though investing billions in climate technologies.

Bill Gates attends the World Leaders' Summit "Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation and Deployment" session on day three of COP26 on November 02, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.

"Well I, by the gold standard of, funding Climeworks, to do direct air capture that far exceeds my family's carbon footprint," Gates replied.

Climeworks is a Swiss company that uses direct air capture (DAC) technology to fight climate change. The company said on its website that it "captures CO₂ directly from the air, reducing the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ by only using renewable energy, energy-from-waste, or other waste heat as energy sources."

Last year, it became Microsoft's first long-term carbon removal supplier.

The billionaire continued saying he spends "billions of dollars on climate innovation."

"I'm comfortable with the idea that not only am I not part of the problem by paying for the offsets, but also through the billions that my Breakthrough Energy group is spending, that I am part of the solution," he said.

Breakthrough Energy was founded by Gates in 2015. According to its website, Breakthough Energy funds "work on the actual climate technologies our world will need to meaningfully reduce emissions" and brings public and private sectors together "to accelerate market formation, spur further innovation, and reduce Green Premiums."

It also advocated for "public policies that will give new technologies a chance in the marketplace, incentivize investment in carbon-reduction technologies, and drive down clean technology costs," the website continues.

According to Reuters, Gates has already invested over $2 billion toward climate technologies. This includes investments in direct air capture in addition to solar energy and nuclear fission.

However, according to the World Wildlife Fund, air travel is still currently considered "the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make."

"Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of the greenhouse gas emissions driving global climate change," the World Wildlife Fund's website reads. "In fact, if the entire aviation sector were a country, it would be one of the top 10 carbon-polluting nations on the planet."

Private jets are 5 to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial planes, according to a report from the European Federation for Transport and Environment.

One private jet can emit two tonnes of CO₂ within an hour, according to the report.
Comments

Oh ya 2 year ago
This nutjob can not meet his maker soon enough. CO2 feeds plants and in return the plants make oxygen to feed humans and all animals. He is helping you like he helped you with the biological agent that they call a vaccine, how is that working out for the folks as they die suddenly and have cancer rates explode. The life insurance companies are seeing a 40 % rise in deaths. They track death every closely as its their business

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Removing the Political Rival Means Diminishing What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
UAE Pledges $1.4 Trillion Investment Strategy in the United States
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
U.S. Approves $100 Million Precision Rocket Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Yemen Conflict
High-ranking ISIS Official Neutralized in Collaborative Operation in Iraq
Netanyahu Rejects UN Reports on Gaza as 'Untrue'
Six Americans Freed from Detention in Kuwait
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Killings.
Trump Speaks Out on the Arrest of Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben with Palestinian Flag
Over 300,000 Refugees Expected to Return to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Trump Urges Nuclear Talks with Iran as Tensions Escalate
US Launches AI Initiative to Track Foreign Nationals' Social Media for Terrorist Support.
US Initiates Direct Discussions with Hamas During Hostage Situation
US Government Dismisses Arab Leaders' Plan for Gaza Reconstruction
US Engages in Unprecedented Covert Talks with Hamas Regarding Hostages
Arab Leaders Approve $53 Billion Initiative for Gaza Reconstruction
Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile Reaches Levels for Six Nuclear Devices
Israel Indicates Willingness to Resume Military Operations in Gaza
Hamas Lets Go of Last Israeli Hostage as Part of Ceasefire Deal
Trump Adjusts Gaza Resettlement Plan Following Rejections from Regional Leaders
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advance.
Israeli Minister Urges Hamas to Surrender and Depart from Gaza.
Iran Considers Moving Its Capital Due to Urban Difficulties
Israel and Hamas Finalize Sixth Exchange of Hostages and Prisoners During Continuing Gaza Ceasefire
Leaders of BRICS to Gather in Rio de Janeiro for July Summit
Muhsin Hendricks, a trailblazing openly gay imam, was killed in South Africa.
Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs cautions Hamas against challenging Trump before Saturday's deadline.
Two British citizens apprehended in Iran amid escalating tensions.
Israel Issues Threat of Military Action as Hostage Negotiations with Hamas Continue
Hamas Coordinates Worldwide Solidarity Marches in Reaction to U.S. and Israeli Initiative
Israel Warns of Ending Gaza Ceasefire Due to Hostage Situation
King Abdullah II Dismisses US Proposal to Relocate Palestinians, Commits to Welcoming Gaza Children.
Lebanon Installs New Government with Hezbollah's Impact on Key Ministries
×