Prince William Makes an ‘Extraordinary Intervention’ in Rare Statement About Climate Change
Prince William wrote a poignant piece highlighting the importance to work towards the climate and what would be needed in the arsenal for that.
Five years ago, Prince William founded the Earthshot Prize to tackle climate change. Now, the global initiative has reached its midpoint, with the royal soon travelling to Mumbai, India, for this year’s award ceremony. In the run-up to that, the Prince of Wales recently wrote an article for The Independent as an urgent call for action on climate change.
William mentioned that while many are prioritising “recovery and rebuilding”, the wildfires in the summer were a “powerful reminder” of the depletion of climate. He stated in no uncertain terms that the crisis demanded “urgency” but also said that “optimism” is also needed. He wrote, “We need both. This is what I mean by urgent optimism: seeing the danger clearly while believing in our ability to respond. For the first time in history, our greatest challenge is not inventing the answers. It is deploying and scaling the solutions we already know work.”
The Prince of Wales believed that the world’s ability to respond to the environmental challenges can be the “biggest story of this decade”. He recounted how much the Earthshot Prize finalists have helped work towards a better climate. The 44-year-old also added that he has seen “solutions” already working and the “impact” they are capable of. And that is what gives him optimism. “Knowing that we no longer have time for inch-by-inch improvements, that change must be systemic and at scale, gives me urgency,” he shared.
William further clarified what he meant by “urgent optimism”. He wrote, “The confidence to act because we can already see what works, and the determination to take it to the scale this moment demands.” He added that the wildfires were a reminder of why protecting the environment and working towards rebuilding it matters. Concluding on a positive note, he ended, “We can, and must, make the remainder of this decade count.”
The Prince of Wales is not the only member of the royal family passionate about environmentalism. King Charles has been a staunch supporter of climate activism and food sustainability. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have also been vocal about protecting the environment.
In November this year, William will travel to Mumbai, India. His wife, Kate Middleton, is also expected to join him on the momentous occasion. If that happens, it will be her second international work trip after her cancer remission. The couple toured India in 2016.
