Bill Gates Calls Planting Trees to Improve Climate Change "Nonsense"

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Bill Gates at The New York Times Climate Forward SummitPhoto bythe author (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Despite his vast contributions to tackling climate change in his lifetime, billionaire philanthropist, Bill Gates has come under public scrutiny recently, for his views on planting trees.

In a recent interview with David Gelles, at the New York Times Climate Forward Summit, Gates referred to tree planting as a "less proven" tactic -- even going on to call it "complete nonsense".

When Gelles posed the statement, "Some people would even say that if you just plant enough trees, it could take care of the climate issue altogether", Gates responded:

"That's complete nonsense [chuckling to himself]... I mean, are we the science people or are we the idiots?"

Since then, the internet has erupted with backlash, citing Bill's intent to be somehow tied to 2,100 acres of potato farmland he purchased in North Dakota, back in 2022.

Gates Spends $13.5 Million on McDonald's French Fries.

In 2022, Gates was part of an acquisition to buy 2,100 acres of farmland, in North Dakota as well as 14,000 acres in the Columbia Basin of Washington State.

All of which, were grown to eventually become McDonald's French fries.

Many neighbouring residents were upset about the purchase, as they didn't feel the acquisition was rooted in pure intention. Others, see the industrialization of their neighbourhood to be an eyesore, stating the farmland is "so massive that they are visible from space."

Bill Gates' farms, known as "100 Circles Farm", outside of Columbia RiverPhoto bythe author via Google Maps (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

In total, Gates owns 270,000 acres of farmland. And, although Gates has stated, in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit, that "the agriculture sector is important", many believe his recent dismissal of tree planting to reveal his true motives.

The Truth About Gates' Statements

While Gates' initial comments may have stirred the pot of public opinion, it seems as though his response may have been misinterpreted.

As reported by Bariel Labgate for fortune.com,

"Essentially, his argument is that emissions will peak and then start to go down. They won’t go down as fast as we want them to, so temperatures will continue to rise. Reversing this trend will require massive carbon removal... Planting trees will not solve the climate problem."

Although trees undoubtedly have positive effects in reversing our carbon footprint, Gates believes it's better to invest in new technologies for carbon removal, clean energy, and electric vehicles.

And, to address issues at their core -- implementing carbon taxes that could fund future technological advances.

Addressing Misinformation

Bill Gates, a prominent advocate for climate change initiatives, has unfortunately been the subject of misinformation and false claims surrounding his efforts.

The Associated Press has clarified that the claim that Gates wants to cut down 70 million acres of trees is false. In reality, Gates is investing in selective tree removal and carbon storage projects, which aim to enhance forest productivity, prevent wildfires, and capture carbon. These initiatives are part of a comprehensive approach to addressing climate change, which Gates believes requires a multi-faceted strategy.

Final Thoughts

Although his initial statement sparked uproar, upon further research, it seems Gates believes that addressing climate change requires a holistic approach -- and that relying solely on tree planting without considering these other factors is a "fool's errand".

By investing in projects focused on forest management and carbon capture, Gates aims to enhance forest productivity, prevent wildfires, and promote sustainable practices. These initiatives go hand in hand with his broader vision of combating climate change through comprehensive and scalable solutions.

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