LONDON — Bill Gates appears to have cast doubt on whether the world will be able to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, providing a sobering reminder of how much work needs to be done if climate goals are to be met.  

Gates made comments about global warming during the first week at the COP26 Climate Change Summit in Glasgow. These remarks are a reference the Paris Agreement which aims “to limit global warming well below 2 and preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels.”

In an excerpt of his interview,U.K. lawmaker Jeremy Hunt conducted the research for Policy Exchange. The billionaire appeared skeptical as to whether or not the goal can be reached.

It’s all about degrees. “That is to say, hitting 2.5 instead of hitting 3 is much better, and hitting 2 more often than hitting 2.5,” he stated. “1.5 … will be very difficult, I doubt that we’ll be able to achieve that.”

The COP26 Summit, which was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemicSix years have passed since nearly 200 nations signed the Paris Agreement.

It is 1.5°C. a crucial global target because beyond this level, so-called tipping points become more likely. Tipping points are an irreversible climate change that locks in more global warming.

The MicrosoftThe co-founder stated that “no similar feat has mankind ever accomplished to what is needed to address climate change.”

Gates acknowledged that mankind was “much richer today, far more knowledgeable today — we do have the digital tools that enable us to work on these things.”

He continued his argument by saying: “What happened to solar panels? They were expensive, but now they are cheap or lithium ion battery, and we have to do the same for six other technologies.”

Gates cited green steel, offshore wind and cheap hydrogen as examples of the need for a lot of money. He also said that there are many paths to innovation. He added that this innovation must be fast.

Asked by Hunt on how the U.K. was dealing with climate issues,Gates gave praise. He said, “The U.K. is actually exemplary.” He said, “Coal was born here. Yet there are times when coal emissions in U.K. are almost zero.”

He stated, “I have to admit that I was concerned when they combined the climate and business departments.” The U.K. government merged the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2016.

“I wondered if climate would get lost. The right thing actually happened. This was because more business-oriented and analytical thinking joined hands with those who were knowledgeable about the climate.

This, I believe, is the reason why the U.K. made significant progress in this area. “The U.K. does not get a good grade in climate progress.”

—CNBC’s Sam Meredith contributed to this article.