Prince Charles calls for ‘unprecedented’ action on climate change

The British royal has said the growing climate crisis will eclipse the coronavirus pandemic

Prince Charles makes the opening address at the start of Climate Week. Screen Grab/Facebook

Prince Charles has called for action at an “unprecedented pace and scale” to tackle climate change, speaking at the virtual opening of Climate Week.

In a recorded message on Monday, the British royal drew a direct line between the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the threat of a climate catastrophe.

"Without swift and immediate action, at an unprecedented pace and scale, we will miss the window of opportunity to reset for... a more sustainable and inclusive future.

"[The] crisis has been with us for far too many years decried, denigrated and denied," the Prince of Wales said.

"It is now rapidly becoming a comprehensive catastrophe that will dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic."

The heir to the British throne made the remarks at the start of the New York-hosted Climate Week, which coincides with this year’s virtual United Nation's General Assembly.

A range of government and business leaders including Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, were also due to address the opening event organised by The Climate Group.

Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used an address marking the start of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly to warn that “climate calamity looms”.

With existing commitments falling far short of the kind of transformational action that scientists say is now vital, many advocates of climate intervention are urging governments to respond with the kind of urgency that has historically been reserved for wartime.

Prince Charles has long been an advocate for green causes. He likened the need for action required on climate change to European reconstruction efforts mounted by the United States after World War Two.

"At this late stage, I can see no other way forward but to call for a Marshall-like plan for nature, people and planet," he said.

"We must now put ourselves on a warlike footing, approaching our action from the perspective of a military-style campaign," the British royal added.

The UN has put the need to address climate change at the heart of this year’s unusual general assembly. The meeting of world leaders is taking place virtually because of Covid-19 restrictions.

While many national governments are lagging behind on climate targets, pledges by cities and companies to slash greenhouse gas emissions have roughly doubled in less than a year, with many seeking environmentally friendly recoveries from the pandemic, according to a report published on Monday.

Cities and regions with a carbon footprint greater than the emissions of the United States and companies with a combined revenue of more than $11.4 trillion are now pursuing net zero emissions by the end of the century.

The majority are aiming for a zero-carbon economy by 2050, as part of a United Nations "Race to Zero" campaign, said the report by the Data-Driven EnviroLab and the NewClimate Institute think-tanks.