Scomo urged to attend summit
Prince Charles, a lifelong environmentalist who has championed organic gardening and runs one of his cars on white wine and cheese, has urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other world leaders to turn talk into action at the UN climate summit.
Queen Elizabeth II’S eldest son and heir, 72, is due to attend events at the two-week COP26 summit in Glasgow starting on October 31, along with his 95-year-old mother.
In a BBC interview broadcast yesterday, the Prince of Wales was asked specifically about Australia and Scott Morrison during a discussion about climate change and the COP26 conference, which begins in Glasgow at the end of the month. When asked what he would say to a government such as Australia’s that appears hesitant to make emissions reduction commitments needed to stave off devastating climate change, Prince Charles replied: “You gently try to suggest there may be other ways of doing things, in my case.
“Otherwise, you lot accuse me of interfering and meddling, don’t you?”
BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt told the future king that Mr Morrison is undecided on attending the COP26 conference, and asked why leaders should attend.
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to say all the time, and the point being that this is a last chance saloon, literally,” the Prince responded.
“Because if we don’t really take the decisions that are vital now, it’s going to be almost impossible to catch up.”
He said he worried that world leaders would “just talk”, adding: “The problem is to get action on the ground.”
The UN summit will try to persuade major developing economies to do more to cut their carbon emissions, and get the rich world to cough up billions more dollars to help poorer countries adapt to climate change.
When asked if Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s UK government was doing enough itself against climate change, Charles replied: “I couldn’t possibly comment.”
Mr Johnson this week held talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and directly urged him to do more to cut emissions.
Prince Charles warned the failure to act would have dire consequences, saying the world had taken “far too long” to take climate change seriously.