Former us senator russ feingold challenges bill gates’ nature vs. Health “false choice”

Prominent political leaders are pushing back against the notion that protecting nature and improving human health are competing priorities. Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and former Irish President Mary Robinson are leading the charge against this “either-or” mindset, recently advocated by billionaire Bill Gates.

As chair of the Global Steering Committee of the Campaign for Nature, Feingold argues that environmental protection and human welfare are fundamentally interconnected goals. “We need to work as citizens — not as Democrats or Republicans — but as citizens, to say ‘Whatever else you think, let’s do this together,'” Feingold emphasized during a recent Mongabay podcast interview. The Campaign for Nature unites prominent politicians across party lines to champion conservation efforts worldwide.

Feingold highlights a critical need for reliable, long-term funding to support conservation efforts in developing nations, moving beyond the bureaucratic delays and broken promises that have historically plagued international environmental aid. He points to the Legacy Landscapes Fund as a successful model, which commits $100 million over 30 years directly to local communities for nature protection initiatives.

“These programs are tangible” and actually deliver funding that produces real conservation results, Feingold explains. His approach emphasizes direct, sustained financial support to Global South nations rather than short-term commitments that often fail to materialize. This strategy represents a shift toward more practical, community-based conservation funding that bypasses traditional bureaucratic obstacles and ensures resources reach the communities most critical to protecting biodiversity.