Climate change crusader Bill Gates says the Russia-Ukraine war has all but guaranteed the United Nations’ 2030 sustainable development goals will not be met. Those 17 goals, which Australia adopted in 2015, include ending poverty and ensuring access to low-cost sustainable energy globally.

Speaking at the Lowy Institute on Monday, Mr Gates said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had distracted the world’s attention from issues such as poverty and climate change, and countries were funnelling money and governance into war efforts instead of those goals.