Rio+20: Prince Charles issues climate change warning

The Prince of Wales has this week called upon world leaders to act fast if they are serious about mitigating climate change.

Speaking at the UN sustainability conference in Brazil, Rio+20, Prince Charles said that he had “watched in despair” at the inaction and slow progress being made at what is now a critical stage.

The heir to the British throne added that issues such as climate change and food security demand a more integrated approach.

The Rio+20 Summit, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, being held in the Brazilian capital this week is expected to attract an estimated 50,000 delegates 20 years after the landmark Earth Summit of 1992. As many as 115 leaders are expected to convene in Rio over the three days of the main event.

In a pre-recorded video, Prince Charles said that he was bewildered as to why, despite being continuously warned , there is a “business-as-usual” attitude in the global fight against climate change.

“Like a sleepwalker, we seem unable to wake up to the fact that so many of the catastrophic consequences of carrying on with business-as-usual are bearing down on us faster than we think, already dragging many millions more people into poverty and dangerously weakening global food, water and energy security for the future,” he said.

“One thing is clear. We need to be much more informed about the actual state of the planet. It is, perhaps, a trait of human nature to act only when the worst happens, but that is not a trait we can afford to rely on here.”

“We do not have nearly enough knowledge on which to base the decisions that will be the best for the long term,” stressed the prince.

“Until we do, we expose ourselves to the mounting danger of major shifts in policy that are not well conceived, but come as panicked responses to crises that could have been avoided.”

Prince Charles noted, in reference to the work achieved through his International Sustainability Unit that is possible to implement effective policies if you are aware of the environmental problems in hand.

He added that research on sustainable energy, water, forestry and soil must be analysed collectively rather than independently.

“If this could happen, at least then we would know what the state of the planet actually is - and then plan accordingly,” the prince added.

“We do not have long to capture such a comprehensive picture, and so I would appeal to you as you meet here in Rio to make an even greater and concerted effort to persuade policy and decision-makers to act before it is finally too late.”
 

 

Image 01: Victoria Johnson | Flickr

Video courtesy of YouTub