King Charles has spoken passionately about the state of affairs in the world, deciding to focus on his responsibilities at hand and not the latest bombshell claims coming out against the Royal Family.
Opening the Cop28 summit – which stands for the Conference of the Parties, and is part of the United Nations’ Climate Change Conferences – the King spoke frankly and with a sense of urgency.
Ignoring the fallout from the new royal book's claims against the Royal Family, Charles has earnt praise for continuing his work advocating for environmentalism.
The monarch, who has travelled to Dubai to pledge his own support and speak on the climate, said, “I pray with all my heart that Cop28 will be another critical turning point towards genuine transformational action at a time when, already, as scientists have been warning for so long, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached.”
“Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track as the global stocktake report demonstrates so graphically.”
“The dangers are no longer distant risks. I’ve seen across the commonwealth, and beyond, countless communities which are unable to withstand repeated shocks, whose lives and livelihoods are laid waste by climate change.”
Backing calls for around $5 trillion (£3.9 trillion) to be devoted every year to climate action worldwide, the King added, “Surely real action is required to stem the growing toll of its most vulnerable victims.”
This was His Majesty’s first address since becoming monarch, having previously opened Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 and Paris in 2015.
Charles’ passionate plea is the latest example of what Omid Scobie’s book, Endgame, suggests is the big difference between the King and his son, Prince William.
Charles, the book describes, “leads with his head and his heart.”
And it’s been well documented that the climate is something close to Charles’ heart – and this has been the case since his first documented speech on the subject back in 1970.
His lifelong passion for environmental issues has been passed down to both his children.
Prince William has most notably set up the Earthshot Prize, a global environmental initiative that is rewarded to five winners each year for their contributions towards environmentalism.
It was first established in 2021 and will run until at least 2030. Each winner receives a grant of £1 million to pursue and grow their environmental work.
William’s work has been hailed as “game changing” by the likes of Hollywood legend Cate Blanchett.
Meanwhile, on their Sussex Royal Instagram account – which hasn’t been used since March 2020, Harry and Meghan once posted to their followers, “There is a ticking clock to protect our planet - with climate change, the deterioration of our natural resources, endangerment of sacred wildlife, the impact of plastics and microplastics, and fossil fuel emissions, we are jeopardising this beautiful place we call home - for ourselves and for future generations.”
