Energy is prosperity. Energy drives manufacturing, transportation, and construction. It heats our homes, cooks our food, and sustains us. Throughout history, the use of energy has propelled a portion of humanity to achieve a level of prosperity unprecedented in human history. But we know now that it was a Faustian bargain: the energy we used to achieve that prosperity came with a legacy of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases that threaten to make our planet uninhabitable.

At Breakthrough Energy’s Summit last week, I talked about how we got to this moment. Surrounded by leading climate experts and innovators, I laid out a path for how we can move forward—and how we cannot—to tackle the greatest challenge of our time. I left feeling energized and with my optimism reaffirmed—we can build a net-zero future together.

Breakthrough Energy was created to spur innovation that will provide the world prosperity without emissions. The problem is solvable, but we must be realistic about the scope and scale of what we are tackling. We must support innovation. We must listen to others and understand their perspectives and imperatives. We must be realistic about what the world can and will accept. If we all do those things, we can—and will—provide sustainable prosperity for our planet.