For years, climate realists like Steve Koonin, Michael Shellenberger, Roger Pielke Jr., and others argued that climate change is real but not an existential threat—and that the obsessive focus on carbon distracted us from real problems such as poverty and disease. They were censored, mocked, and pushed out of institutions. Now, Bill Gates is finally saying the same thing: Humans can adapt, and we should prioritize improving lives over emissions metrics. That shift is welcome, but overdue—and it comes after decades of fearmongering that harmed young people, stalled development, and punished dissenting scientists.