Recent remarks by Microsoft founder Bill Gates on climate change have had the desired effect — they have triggered a fierce debate on the effectiveness of the world’s current approach towards the problem.

In a memo published last week, Gates — an influential funder of climate-friendly technologies and solutions — questioned the ‘doomsday outlook’ on climate change, and said humanity would most likely survive this crisis. Instead of focusing all resources and energy on limiting the rise in temperatures, Gates advocated greater emphasis on improving health and prosperity, which, he argued, can make people better prepared to face climate impacts.

The arguments presented by Gates are not new. Mitigation (emission cuts) vs adaptation (building resilience) is an old debate in climate discussio

See Full Page