Putting People First: A Smarter Way to Tackle Climate Change

In the middle of the Amazon, a big meeting is happening. It's called COP30. Bill Gates, a well-known philanthropist, has something important to say. He thinks these climate meetings should focus more on helping people. Instead of just talking about cutting emissions or lowering temperatures. For many people around the world, everyday problems are more pressing. Things like poverty and disease are bigger concerns than climate change. A group called Copenhagen Consensus has been saying this for a while. They ask, "How can we do the most good with the money we have? " Every year, over 7. 5 million people die from illnesses that could be easily prevented. Spending money on health, food, and education could save millions of lives. It would also help build a better future. Most people worry about things like their children's health and education. They don't lose sleep over small changes in temperature. Gates says, "The biggest problems are still poverty and disease. " More people are starting to agree with this way of thinking. For a long time, the focus was only on cutting emissions. But now, things are changing. Even politicians who used to be very strict about climate change are now talking about balancing economics with climate policy. Some people still argue that climate spending doesn't take money away from other important things. But in reality, money can't be spent in two places at once. A lot of money is being spent on climate projects that could have been used to fight disease or hunger. In Africa, people rank climate change as their 31st most important problem. Things like education, jobs, health, and roads are much bigger concerns. Gates is right to say we should focus on what helps the most. A better approach would be to make societies stronger and more resilient. This means investing in adaptation and research. It's not about expensive targets, but about making real progress. As the meeting in Belém continues, the best way forward is clear. We should use our limited funds to solve today's problems. This will also help us face future challenges. That's how we can truly put people first.