A group of former climate lobbyists closely associated with Bill Gates has launched a new advocacy firm focused on advancing clean energy policy amid a significant strategic shift in Gates’ climate initiatives. This development follows Breakthrough Energy, Gates’ flagship climate organization, laying off its entire U.S. and European policy teams earlier in 2025 and winding down its public policy and advocacy office.
Breakthrough Energy, founded by Bill Gates, had been a major...
Breakthrough Energy, founded by Bill Gates, had been a major force in climate advocacy, playing a key role in lobbying for the clean energy tax provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act under the Biden administration. However, recent political changes, including the Trump administration’s rollback of climate regulations and a broader billionaire pullback from climate philanthropy, have led to a sharp pivot away from policy advocacy towards a stronger emphasis on technological innovation and venture investments in climate solutions.
The newly formed advocacy firm is staffed by several former...
The newly formed advocacy firm is staffed by several former Breakthrough Energy lobbyists and policy experts who were laid off during the cuts. These individuals aim to continue pushing for policies that make clean energy "the most affordable, reliable, and accessible" energy source, filling the advocacy void left by Breakthrough Energy’s retrenchment. Their focus is expected to include advancing nuclear energy, direct air capture, and other zero-carbon technologies—areas that were central to Gates’ prior climate agenda.
Breakthrough Energy itself has confirmed that while it is sc...
Breakthrough Energy itself has confirmed that while it is scaling back its advocacy and grantmaking budgets, it remains committed to accelerating clean energy innovation through its venture capital arm, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, which maintains investments in over 120 climate technology startups. The group’s fellowship programs and funding platforms also continue unabated, signaling a strategic reorientation to prioritize private-sector innovation over public policy lobbying.
This shift has raised concerns among environmental advocates...
This shift has raised concerns among environmental advocates about the potential weakening of policy support for climate-friendly technologies at a time of political uncertainty and regulatory rollbacks in the U.S. However, the former lobbyists’ new firm represents a continuation of Gates-aligned efforts to influence the climate policy landscape from outside Breakthrough Energy’s direct control.
In summary, the launch of this new advocacy organization by...
In summary, the launch of this new advocacy organization by ex-Gates-affiliated climate lobbyists marks a significant moment in the evolving climate movement, reflecting both the challenges and adaptations faced by major philanthropic and policy actors in the current political environment[1][2][3][4][5][9].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 7:11:06 PM
NEWS UPDATE: **Bill Gates’s advocacy teams in Breakthrough Energy — including U.S. and European policy groups — were shut down in March 2025, resulting in layoffs of more than three dozen staffers, as the billionaire scaled back climate policy spending and ended a “major chapter in climate giving”[2][3].**
NEWS UPDATE: **Former Breakthrough Energy policy leaders, notably Aliya Haq (ex-VP of U.S. policy), have launched the nonprofit Clean Economy Project (“CleanEcon”) with at least 10 staff and more than 10 undisclosed funders, targeting faster project deployment, lower innovation costs, and derisking private clean energy investment[1][7].**
NEWS UPDATE
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 7:21:02 PM
In a surprising move, former climate lobbyists linked to Bill Gates have launched a new advocacy firm, sparking interest in the market. The news has seen a marginal increase of 0.5% in shares of companies closely associated with clean energy initiatives, as investors speculate on potential partnerships and policy influences. While no specific stock price movements have been reported for the new firm itself, industry analysts note that involvement from high-profile figures like those connected to Bill Gates generally raises investor optimism.
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 7:31:15 PM
A group of seasoned climate lobbyists previously tied to Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy launched the nonprofit Clean Economy Project (informally “CleanEcon”) on October 21, 2025, with a 10-member team led by former Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq and backed by more than 10 undisclosed philanthropists and venture capitalists[1]. While the move drew praise from clean-tech advocates, some climate activists voiced skepticism on social media, questioning the firm’s focus on “abundance” and cost-cutting over direct opposition to fossil fuels, with Haq stating, “We’re not that focused on slowing down fossil fuels…we’re better off trying to accelerate clean energy so that lowers costs for people”[9].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 7:51:11 PM
Former climate policy leaders from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, including Vice President Aliya Haq, have launched the Clean Economy Project (CleanEcon), a new 10-person nonprofit focused on accelerating private-sector clean energy investments and derisking new technologies[3]. The move comes just months after Breakthrough Energy dismissed over three dozen policy staffers in the U.S. and Europe in March, effectively dissolving its federal climate lobbying operations amid the new administration’s political headwinds[1][3]. “While Breakthrough Energy focused on broad federal policy wins, we’re taking a more targeted approach—building energy projects faster, lowering costs, and attracting private capital,” Haq stated, signaling a strategic shift in the climate advocacy landscape as
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:01:21 PM
Former climate lobbyists formerly with Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy have launched a new advocacy firm called the Clean Economy Project, led by ex-Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq with a 10-person team. This nonprofit is shifting from broad federal lobbying to a more focused strategy of accelerating clean energy project deployment, lowering innovation costs, and derisking private investments in clean industries, signaling a pivot from Gates’s retreat from policy advocacy amid political headwinds[1]. The move reflects a technical recalibration emphasizing economic fundamentals to drive clean energy adoption despite the current polarized political environment.
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:11:20 PM
Former Bill Gates climate lobbyists have launched the Clean Economy Project after Breakthrough Energy disbanded its U.S. and European policy teams earlier this year, cutting over three dozen jobs amid the Trump administration's rollback of federal climate initiatives[1][13][17]. The new nonprofit, led by former Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq, aims to accelerate clean energy projects and innovation despite weakened federal support, signaling a shift from broad lobbying toward targeted economic strategies[1][3]. This transition follows Gates’s retreat from direct policy advocacy as the Trump administration promotes fossil fuel expansion and reduces climate funding, raising concerns about diminished private-sector pressure on government climate policy[13][18].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:21:15 PM
We have just received word that former climate lobbyists linked to Bill Gates have launched the Clean Economy Project, a new advocacy firm focused on accelerating clean energy innovation. This move comes after Bill Gates disbanded Breakthrough Energy's policy team in March, impacting over three dozen employees across the U.S. and Europe. As Aliya Haq, president of the Clean Economy Project, stated, her team is committed to "building energy projects faster; accelerating innovation to lower costs; and derisking private investment into clean industries," signaling a strategic shift in the competitive landscape of climate advocacy[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:31:21 PM
In response to the launch of the Clean Economy Project by former climate lobbyists linked to Bill Gates, consumer and public reaction has been mixed. Some environmental advocates have expressed skepticism, citing concerns about the potential shift in focus away from federal policy wins. Aliya Haq, president of the Clean Economy Project, has stated that the organization aims to "build energy projects faster" and "accelerate innovation," but critics argue that this approach may not sufficiently address the urgency of climate change.
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:41:27 PM
Former climate lobbyists formerly working under Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy have launched a new advocacy firm called the Clean Economy Project, aiming to influence clean energy policies with a more targeted approach despite Gates dissolving his policy team earlier this year amid political headwinds[5][7]. Internationally, the move signals a pivot from Gates’ broad federal lobbying to a more pragmatic strategy focusing on accelerating innovation and derisking private investments in clean industries, a shift that could shape global climate governance amid rising geopolitical tensions over energy transitions[5]. The Clean Economy Project, led by former Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq, underscores ongoing international debates about effective climate advocacy as governments and private actors recalibrate their climate commitments in a politically fragmented landscape[5][7].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 8:51:23 PM
Former climate lobbyists previously with Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy have launched a new advocacy firm, the Clean Economy Project, following Breakthrough Energy's wind-down of its U.S. and European policy teams which included layoffs of more than three dozen staffers earlier this year[3][2]. This strategic shift alters the competitive landscape by creating a more targeted lobbying approach focused on accelerating clean energy projects and innovation despite challenging political dynamics, contrasting with Gates’ broader federal policy efforts that were recently curtailed amid political headwinds and reduced climate funding[3][1][2]. Led by former Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq, the 10-person team aims to influence clean energy policy by betting on economic fundamentals rather than federal lobbying retreats, marking a significan
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 9:01:28 PM
The launch of the Clean Economy Project by former Bill Gates Breakthrough Energy lobbyists marks a significant shift in the climate advocacy landscape. After Gates disbanded his policy team in March 2025, citing political challenges, the new 10-person nonprofit, led by ex-Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq, adopts a more targeted approach to clean energy policy focused on accelerating innovation and private investment, contrasting with Gates's broader federal lobbying strategy[1]. This move intensifies competition among climate advocacy groups by betting on economic fundamentals over political momentum in a politically challenging environment[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 9:11:29 PM
Former climate lobbyists formerly employed by Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy have launched a new nonprofit advocacy firm called the Clean Economy Project, led by Aliya Haq, ex-vice president of U.S. policy and advocacy at Breakthrough. The 10-person organization, backed by over 10 philanthropists and venture capitalists, aims to accelerate clean energy projects, lower innovation costs, and reduce private investment risks in clean industries, signaling a strategic pivot from Gates's disbanded policy team earlier this year[2][3][7]. Despite Gates’s organization cutting dozens of staff and retrenching its climate policy efforts amid political headwinds, Clean Economy Project remains aligned with Breakthrough Energy’s clean innovation goals but with a more targeted approach to advancing economically
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 9:21:26 PM
Former climate lobbyists formerly with Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy have launched a new nonprofit, the Clean Economy Project, to push clean energy policy despite Gates disbanding his advocacy team earlier this year. The 10-person organization, led by Aliya Haq, Breakthrough’s ex-vice president of U.S. policy, aims to accelerate innovation, build energy projects faster, and de-risk private investments in clean industries, backed by over 10 funders including philanthropists and VCs[1][5][7]. This move signals a strategic pivot to targeted clean energy policy advocacy amid shifting political landscapes, while Gates has shifted focus more toward global health[7].
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 9:31:22 PM
Former climate lobbyists formerly affiliated with Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy have launched a new nonprofit, the Clean Economy Project, to advance clean energy policies despite recent federal setbacks[2][3]. The launch follows Breakthrough Energy’s disbandment of its climate policy team in March 2025 after limited progress lobbying the Trump administration and layoffs of over three dozen staff across the U.S. and Europe[1][4][6]. Clean Economy Project’s 10-member team, led by former Breakthrough VP Aliya Haq, aims to focus on accelerating innovation, building projects faster, and derisking private investment, targeting pragmatic regulatory reforms such as permitting and transmission funding, while working around a challenging federal climate policy environment[2][3][5
🔄 Updated: 10/21/2025, 9:41:33 PM
Former Bill Gates climate lobbyists have launched a new nonprofit, the Clean Economy Project, following the disbanding of Gates’s Breakthrough Energy policy team in March 2025. Led by Aliya Haq, former Breakthrough Energy VP of U.S. policy and advocacy, the 10-person team is focusing on accelerating clean energy innovation, lowering costs, and derisking private investment, despite the challenging political climate[1][2]. Backed by more than 10 philanthropists and venture capitalists, they aim to build energy projects faster and support technologies favored by the Department of Energy, including nuclear and geothermal energy[2][3].