In 2017 alone, Bill Gates produced 1,630 tonnes of CO2 just from his air travel. That's about 1,160 times (!!!) the individual emissions budget for one person that we need to reach by 2040: https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-design/15-degree-lifestyles
Now Gates tells us in his new book that flying and driving less are not important to avoid climate collapse. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/13/bill-gates-on-the-climate-crisis-i-cant-deny-being-a-rich-guy-with-an-opinion
Gates himself says he is an "imperfect messenger" on the climate crisis. But he should know better. Studies show that walking the talk boosts the messages of climate communicators. @GretaThunberg is right. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2019/11/19/greta-is-right-study-shows-individual-climate-action-boosts-systemic-change/
Even if it conflicts with his "guilty pleasure". Gates should not fuel the illusion that we can make air travel climate-neutral in the next few years with "green" technologies alone. He should know better. We know better. https://stay-grounded.org/green-flying-report/
Gates' technology-centered vision may sound nice to many because it means we don't have to change the system and some habits or question power relations and address inequalities. But it leads us into a dead end. Instead, let's strive for a #JustTransition. https://stay-grounded.org/just-transition/