Bill Gates, a billionaire philanthropist, has spent decades warning the public about potential global crises, including “climate disasters†and cyberattacks. However, two specific concerns seem to weigh most heavily on Gates: global unrest sparking a “major war” and the looming threat of another pandemic.
Gates, speaking to CNBC Make It, emphasized that if a major conflict is avoided, another pandemic is almost certain within the next 25 years. “A lot of unrest” could lead to large-scale war, but even if the world dodges such a catastrophe, the likelihood of a new pandemic is very high, he said.
Pandemics, Gates noted, are inevitable due to increasing factors like climate change and population growth, which have accelerated the emergence of diseases. Gates, along with other global health experts, remains particularly concerned about the world’s lack of preparedness for future outbreaks. He criticized the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically pointing out that the US, long viewed as a global leader, failed to meet the world’s expectations.
In his 2022 book How to Prevent the Next Pandemic, Gates outlined his concerns, stating that governments were not adequately prepared for COVID-19. He made several recommendations for improving global readiness, such as enhanced quarantining policies, investing in disease monitoring systems, and boosting vaccine research and development.
While some progress has been made, Gates is disappointed with the current level of preparedness. “Although some of the lessons from [the coronavirus] pandemic have been learned, [it’s been] way less than I would expect, sadly,” Gates told CNBC Make It. He explained that political divisions that hindered the global response to COVID-19 continue to impede efforts to prepare for the next major outbreak.
In an advance screening of the Netflix docuseries What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, Gates further delves into these concerns. The series, set to premiere on September 18, features conversations with key experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In one episode, Fauci stresses that wealthier nations, including the US, have a “moral responsibility” to share resources and lead global efforts to prevent the spread of future diseases.
Fauci’s perspective aligns with Gates’ warnings. He recently expressed concern over a “crisis of truth,” particularly regarding the spread of misinformation that undermines public health initiatives. However, Fauci remains optimistic that public trust in scientific facts will eventually be restored.
Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $157 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, isn’t the only influential figure warning of potential global catastrophes. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, also voiced concerns about geopolitical tensions, calling them the biggest threat to the global economy. Dimon emphasized that the Russian operation in Ukraine has heightened these risks, and its resolution remains unclear.
