Climate change, malnutrition require immense innovation

On 17 November, the first edition of the Mint Visionaries series, which seeks to delve into the minds of people inspiring a new future, was kicked off with entrepreneur-philanthropist Bill Gates, who is also the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, sharing his thoughts with Wipro Ltd chairman Rishad Premji. The two discussed the challenges of mitigating climate change, eliminating malnutrition, and improving the health and education infrastructure, besides the role of technology, such as artificial intelligence, for social inclusion, something Gates considers a mission statement. Rishad Premji: Climate change will be one of the defining challenges of the 21st century--the impact of weather events, rising sea level, islands getting flooded. It will affect the way people live and potentially impact health and mortality. There is a huge implication of climate change. I know you personally and the Gates Foundation is spending a lot on mitigation--on how to reduce carbon emission. I know you are spending time on breakthrough energy ventures in your personal capacity, investing in technology that can pay off, as well as around adaptation. What are you personally, and through Gates Foundation, doing in these areas? And, what can we do to learn how to leverage science and technology, as governments and as citizens, to be more informed about climate change and its impact, considering that we often have this debate on whether it is real. And, what can come out of it? Bill Gates: I am actually writing a book about climate change.