King Charles has called for “action, partnership and commitment” to fight the “heartbreaking” climate crisis.
King Charles has called for ‘action, partnership and commitment’ to fight the ‘heartbreaking’ climate crisis
The monarch, 74, spoke out about the need to protect the environment just before he fulfilled a young activist’s wish and joined her in planting a tree.
He said during his visit the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of his official visit to the country about how he has seen the effects of a changing climate, from rising sea levels to wildfires.
The monarch added: “It is particularly heartbreaking to know that in the whole of Africa alone, tens of millions of people face severe hunger and drought.
“Left unchecked, global warming, biodiversity loss and climate change are challenges, serious challenges which threaten us all and can only be met by the whole society working together in the spirit of action, partnership and commitment.”
Charles’ speech was met with a rousing round of applause, after afterwards Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of United Nations Office Nairobi, said: “It is like an inspiration. We feel grateful what he was saying 50 years ago and now we are trying to catch up.”
Charles later visited Kenya's Karura Forest, where he planted an Elgon teak sapling with 10-year-old environmental activist Karen Kimani, who told him: “We need a clean environment, free from pollution.”
The schoolgirl had written to Charles asking if she could plant a tree with him but was stunned when he agreed.
It has been announced that the king will give the opening address of Cop28, the United Nations climate summit being hosted by the United Arab Emirates later this year.
In his speech to UN staff at their Nairobi offices, Charles said: “As we look ahead to Cop28, we must remember what (Kenya’s) President (William) Ruto said at the Africa Climate Summit: ‘We go far when we go together.’”
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