We're
putting our credibility, time, and money behind this bet — and asking
others to join us — because we think there has never been a better time
to accelerate progress and have a big impact around the world.
Some will say we're irrational to make this bet too. A skeptic would
look at the world's problems and conclude that things are only getting
worse. And we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that a handful of the
worst-off countries will continue to struggle.
When we travel, we meet with people to learn
what they need to live a healthy, productive life. Mapinga, Tanzania,
2011
A Call for Global Citizens
The more active global citizens there are the more progress the world will make Sign Up Now
We can make fighting poverty a priority
The rich world will keep getting exciting new advances too, but the
improvements in the lives of the poor will be far more fundamental —
the basics of a healthy, productive life. It's great that more people in
rich countries will be able to watch movies on super hi-resolution
screens. It's even better that more parents in poor countries will know
their children aren't going to die.
But we think the next 15 years will see major breakthroughs for
most people in poor countries. They will be living longer and in better
health. They will have unprecedented opportunities to get an education,
eat nutritious food, and benefit from mobile banking. These
breakthroughs will be driven by innovation in technology — ranging from
new vaccines and hardier crops to much cheaper smartphones and tablets —
and by innovations that help deliver those things to more people.
A quick overview of the bet we’re making about the next 15 years.
It is fair to ask whether the progress we're predicting will be
stifled by climate change. The most dramatic problems caused by climate
change are more than 15 years away, but the long-term threat is so
serious that the world needs to move much more aggressively — right now —
to develop energy sources that are cheaper, can deliver on demand, and
emit zero carbon dioxide. The next 15 years are a pivotal time when
these energy sources need to be developed so they'll be ready to deploy
before the effects of climate change become severe. Bill is investing
time in this work personally (not through our foundation) and will
continue to speak out about it.
We're excited to see how much better the world will be in 15 years. Here are some of the breakthroughs we see coming.
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