In a 17-page memo released ahead of next month's UN climate summit in Brazil, Gates argued that the world's main goal should be to reduce human suffering, not only limit temperature rise. He said a "doomsday mindset" has pushed governments to pour resources into emission targets rather than into initiatives that could immediately improve lives.

"If given the choice between eradicating malaria and reducing warming by 0.1°C, I'll take eliminating malaria," Gates said, emphasizing that current suffering often outweighs the risks of future warming.

The Microsoft co-founder, who now devotes most of his time to the Gates Foundation's global health and development efforts, also runs Breakthrough Energy — a venture focused on accelerating clean energy innovation.

His pragmatic approach, however, has sparked sharp criticism. Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs dismissed the memo as "pointless" and said climate action and poverty reduction are both achievable if fossil fuel interests are curtailed. Other scientists warned that even minor increases in global temperature intensify extreme weather and ecological collapse.

Stanford's Chris Field said both short-term human needs and long-term climate stability must be addressed together, while Princeton's Michael Oppenheimer questioned whether humanity can "live in a technological bubble" while nature suffers.

Gates insists his proposal doesn't downplay climate action — only reframes it. "A stable climate makes it easier to improve people's lives," he wrote. "But our mission should be to end suffering wherever it exists."