William says everyone can help planet as he launches eco prize
The Duke of Cambridge has urged people, businesses and leaders to do their bit to help safeguard the planet.
As the countdown to the awards ceremony for his environmental Earthshot Prize began, William said we may be unwittingly part of the problem but now was the time to work together so we can all become part of the solution.
The duke launched his ambitious prize to find solutions to the planet’s environmental problems and overcome the pessimism felt by many over its future.
A five-part BBC documentary series screened in the coming days will examine the environmental issues behind the awards.
The final episode looks in detail at the problem of waste and its effect on the planet, from the dumping of plastics in the oceans to wasted food produced with resources like water, fertilisers and electricity.
William says in the last documentary the fate of humankind is in our hands: “We stand at a fork in the road, we continue on our current path the natural world will decline around us, and with it potentially everything we now take for granted.
“But if we take the other path, if we strive to find solutions to our biggest problems we can create a different future for our children and grandchildren, a better future.
“One in which both humanity and nature thrive, in which the way we live our lives works in harmony with the climate.
“A future with flourishing productive oceans, one that is free of the burden of our waste and that offers, each of us, clean air with every breath.
“Today everyone of us may, unintentionally, be part of the problem but from today, working together, we can all become part of the solution.”
The BBC series will air from next Sunday with the Earthshot Prize winners announced on October 17.