Bill Gates and the problem with optimism

The philanthropist's recent documentary dramatises the gulf between climate optimism and pessimism. But it ducks a perfect opportunity to bridge the two.

Source: Netflix

In a five-episode miniseries for Netflix, “What's Next? The Future With Bill Gates,” that first dropped last September, Bill Gates and a host of commentators address a series of big, burning questions facing the world. One of them is, unsurprisingly, climate change.

Let’s acknowledge right up front that few individuals are doing as much to advance understanding of the climate challenge, or indeed address it, as Bill Gates. The Microsoft founder-turned-billionaire-philanthropist is putting his (considerable sums of) money where his mouth is by investing in truly innovative solutions. So fittingly, the series’ climate change episode highlights several interesting companies developing new, sustainability technology, as well as the important work being done by Gates’ own investment vehicle, Breakthrough Energy.

But what I took away was something else. It was the gulf between Gates’s optimism that technology can save the day and the heartfelt-yet-unflinching pessimism (or realism, if you prefer) of the panel of young climate activists the episode assembles for a discussion with the Great Man.

Here’s how I’d paraphrase the dialogue (although don’t take my word for it: the episode is well worth 45 minutes of your time):

Gates: These tech solutions are really exciting, but we need to move faster.

Kids: Yes, they’re great. But it’s going to take more than that.

Gates: I'm disappointed you kids are so pessimistic!

Kids: Yeah? Well, we’re sorry you’re sorry.

What these young people clearly grasp is that great tech alone won't solve the problem.

Sure, it’s not impossible that nuclear fusion will become a reality, offering a safe and unlimited source of energy. And it’s not beyond the realm of imagination that someone will invent an affordable way to scrub billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. But we can’t bank on it happening anytime soon. So, every promising tech solution needs to be accelerated. And it’s going to take more than a few visionary billionaires to do so.

Interestingly, the documentary touches on policies that would accelerate such technology. It recognises subsidies as useful. It only mentions taxing carbon in passing, however, then dismissing it in almost the same breath, citing the (admittedly very real) difficulty of making new taxes politically acceptable.

But here’s the thing: Bill Gates is on record as a supporter of carbon pricing. He supports it because it can help create a tangible return on investing in the technology the planet needs. And because it creates the kind of cold, hard financial incentives needed to compel businesses and consumers to consume less carbon.

The filmmakers could be forgiven for keeping things simple. Maybe. Or perhaps they wanted to avoid taking up policy positions during the U.S. presidential election campaign.

But to have the public profile Bill Gates has, and a platform like Netflix, and not use it to help boost understanding and support for proven economic solutions really isn’t good enough.

The world needs clear-eyed and unflinching communications about the hard choices needed to make a practical difference to the climate crisis. Elevating economic solutions in the mainstream climate debate not only makes them more politically palatable but also creates a real bridge between the amazing potential tech holds and the bleak new realities climate change is creating.

It would also help fill that awkward silence between Bill and the kids.