To stop global warming and avoid the worst consequences of climate change, we must stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This sounds difficult because it is difficult. Humanity has never attempted anything so large before. All countries will need to change habits. Literally all activities of modern life – farming, manufacturing things, transportation – lead to the emission of greenhouse gases. If nothing changes, humanity will continue to produce greenhouse gases, climate change will continue to intensify, and the impact on people will likely be catastrophic. However, things can change. We already have some of the tools we need, and regarding those we still lack, everything I've learned in recent years about climate and technology makes me optimistic that we can invent them, utilize them, and if we act quickly, avoid a climate disaster. This book talks about what we need to do and why I believe we can do it. BILL GATES Bill Gates has dedicated the last decade to studying the causes and consequences of climate change. With the collaboration of experts from fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and economics, he has focused on what needs to be done to reverse the planet's course toward certain environmental catastrophe. In this book, he not only explains why we must aim for a net-zero carbon balance but also elaborates on what specifically needs to be done to achieve this vital goal. He provides a clear description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his experience and knowledge of innovations and how new ideas can be implemented, he presents the areas where technology is already contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; also, where and how the technology we have today can work more effectively, where we need innovative discoveries, and who is working in this direction. Finally, he presents a specific, practical plan for achieving zero emissions – proposing not only policies that governments can adopt but also what we can do individually so that our governments, our employers, and we ourselves can contribute to this critical endeavor. Achieving the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions is not easy, Bill Gates clarifies, but if we follow an organized plan, it is entirely within our capabilities.