There are unusually pessimistic tones, the Bill Gates strikes. The 62-year-old founder of Microsoft, the second richest man in the world, has been engaged for more than ten years, together with his wife, Melinda, principal occupation for the good cause: the fight against poverty and diseases, as well as the equality of the sexes.
Actually, he has a reason to celebrate. He came to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Tedros Adhanim Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the world health organization (WHO). They all speak at the annual Meeting of the “Grand Challenges”, an Initiative to bring scientists together, together, the biggest problems of the world – and the Gates Foundation co-founded. The Meeting coincides with the world health summit.
in addition, Gates has celebrated on Monday evening the opening of the Berlin office of his Foundation and a prize will be awarded to Cornelia Professor röper also lectures, and has established the Advisory platform “Wefugees” for refugees.
“It won’t be easy”
In his Berlin Talk, he counts successes. So since 1990, 1.2 billion people are to escape poverty, in a first wave in China and a second wave in India. “The question to the world is: Can we create a third wave of poverty reduction in the Rest of the world, the extreme poverty, almost exterminating?” He gives the answer himself: “It will not be easy.”
Currently, the population growth has brought to him above all. While the number of people is shrinking in almost all regions of the world, it grows in Africa. Up to the middle of the century, Gates performs at a Meeting with journalists, will have Africa’s population doubled. And that is a Problem. “Because these children are born, especially where it is the most difficult to provide good medical care and education.”
Already in September released “Goalkeepers”-report the Gates Foundation had warned that the mankind threat in the fight against poverty is a serious setback and that the sun, especially on the rapid population growth in the poorest regions of the world. The object of the world whether it is to create in these countries opportunities.
the Problem comes in,
Just how? In Berlin, the otherwise optimistic Gates itself at somewhat of a loss. He believes in the power of science that has solved so many problems of mankind. However, in the poorest countries of Africa, a Problem that could not previously solve, no one: climate change. If it is in these countries is still hot and dry, this will impact the already meager Crops. The people will have to flee, if they want to survive.
On climate change, says Gates, he could make beginning to Worry, “because it requires global co-operation”. Yet you focus on the energy sector only for a part of the emissions – and even there, the problems will not be solved. If nothing change, run the mankind an Experiment with an uncertain outcome. Unlike in the health sector, one could say when it comes to climate protection so far, no groundbreaking innovations previously. “There are days when it feels pretty hard.”
The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is primarily a task for the rich countries – poor countries have caused comparatively few. Africa, however, need a “second green Revolution”: The food must would plants bred to thrive in the extreme climate.
The world lost potential
The Problem of population growth is perhaps easier to solve, at least in the long term. Gates advises on strategies that were already in place elsewhere successfully. Most important is the fight against child mortality. If parents could be assured that their children will survive, they planned less large families. Further action: girls and women should have access to higher education, and it should be enough contraception.
to start Shortly after the Meeting, the Gates Foundation, the Federal Ministry of education and the African Academy of Sciences to announce a new research partnership for global health.
If he could only solve a single Problem, says Bill Gates, it would be the lack of nutrition. As a result, the world lost a lot of potential. If the body lack important nutrients can lead to fact, that the brain develops correctly. To keep children from to be crucial.
