Bill Gates is the world’s richest man, and as such he's leading a group of investors and philanthropists in efforts to invest $2 billion into clean energy.
The founder of Microsoft will be joined by 26 private investors and the University of California in the so-called Breakthrough Energy Coalition. This announcement today coincides with the launch of the United Nations climate talks in Paris.
Other contributors to the coalition include George Soros, Tom Steyer, Ratan Tata, Mark Zuckerberg, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. chairman and founder Jack Ma, and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote - Africa’s richest man. The coalition also includes Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group Ltd.; and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com Inc. “We’ll get more people to join, and so that number will go up from there,” Gates said.
"The existing system of basic research, clean energy investment, regulatory frameworks, and subsidies fails to sufficiently mobilize investment in truly transformative energy solutions for the future.
We can’t wait for the system to change through normal cycles."
As the world's political leaders meet in France, it's also important to see what business leaders are doing on environmental and energy issues. That's likely why Bill Gates and his cohort of billionaires are announcing their aims to make change through their investments.
Businesses clearly have a major role to play as corporate operations are a source of major opportunity for increasing sustainability. To read the thoughts and see the actions of the Business Roundtable members on these issues, please view the 2015 BRT Sustainability Report below:
http://businessroundtable.org/sites/default/files/2015%20Sustainability%20Report.2015.04.22.pdf
"CEOs are leading their companies to adopt effective environmental and sustainable business practices. This report details how companies are pursuing innovative strategies to create jobs, grow the U.S. economy and sustain and enhance the quality of life in America and around the world."