You must halt climate's doomsday clock, Prince Charles tells heads of Europe
14th February 2008
Daily Mail
Prince Charles today took his fight to save the planet to Brussels, calling on EU leaders to tackle the "doomsday clock of climate change".
In a clear political move, Charles addressed the European Parliament telling MEPs they needed to show a more "determined" leadership.
In his speech Charles warned: "The doomsday clock of climate change is ticking ever faster towards midnight. The lives of billions of people depend on your response and none of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail."
He added that millions of people looked to governments, the European Union and international agencies to find a solution to the growing global problem.
Clarion call: Prince Charles addresses MEPs in Brussels, telling them, 'None of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail'
The Prince asked: "Determined and principled leadership has never been more needed.
Surely, this is just the moment in history for which the European Union was created?"
Calling attention to the plight of the rainforests, he added: "In the simplest terms, we have to make the forests worth more alive than dead."
Charles, in Brussels as part of a two-day visit, said tackling the issue was "a task that calls for the biggest public, private and non-governmental organisation partnership ever seen".
He called for a global partnership to find and implement solutions to the problem.
He added that the corporate world was often ahead of many politicians in the debate on climate change, and he said only a coalition of the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations could find an effective solution.
Welcoming recent proposals from the European Commission, Charles said the European Union had a vital role to play in tackling climate change.
He highlighted the particular problem of deforestation, which was simultaneously releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere while robbing the planet of a "natural thermostat, helping to regulate our climate" and playing a crucial role in sustaining life on earth.
Charles has set up his own Rainforests Project to find a way to make it more financially attractive to keep the forests rather than destroy them.
Yesterday, the Prince had a meeting with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso before attending a round-table discussion with representatives from a number of his charities and European Commissioners.
He also visited Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe and his wife, Princess Mathilde.
Today he met European Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöaut;ttering before delivering his speech to representatives from the environment committee, NGOs and parliamentarians.
Charles's stance on green issues has left him open to accusations of "green hypocrisy", a charge levelled at him for flying to America with a 20-strong entourage to collect an environmental award a year ago.
He has decided not to use a private jet for his spring tour to the Caribbean with Camilla.
He revealed the Government will pay for him and his entourage to take scheduled flights as well as renting tycoon Sir Donald Gosling's yacht for official visits, saving 40 per cent in carbon emissions as well as reducing the cost to the taxpayer.
Charles's speech comes as his charity is locked in a dispute with the Sainsbury family over the charity's use of a £2.5 million bequest intended to help young people from poor rural communities find work.
Annabel Kanabus, scion of one of Britain's wealthiest dynasties, has demanded that the Prince's Trust repay £1million and waive its right to a further £1.5million bequeathed to it by her son, Jason Kanabus, who died from cancer last summer, aged 30.
The executors of the son's estate are angry that, almost a year after the Prince's Trust took control of the first £1million, it has provided no evidence that beneficiaries have gone on to find work in farming.
The Prince's Trust denies misusing the money and refuses to repay it. The trust has also demanded that the balance of £1.5million be paid to it immediately.
dailymail.co.uk
14th February 2008
Daily Mail
Prince Charles today took his fight to save the planet to Brussels, calling on EU leaders to tackle the "doomsday clock of climate change".
In a clear political move, Charles addressed the European Parliament telling MEPs they needed to show a more "determined" leadership.
In his speech Charles warned: "The doomsday clock of climate change is ticking ever faster towards midnight. The lives of billions of people depend on your response and none of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail."
He added that millions of people looked to governments, the European Union and international agencies to find a solution to the growing global problem.
Clarion call: Prince Charles addresses MEPs in Brussels, telling them, 'None of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail'
The Prince asked: "Determined and principled leadership has never been more needed.
Surely, this is just the moment in history for which the European Union was created?"
Calling attention to the plight of the rainforests, he added: "In the simplest terms, we have to make the forests worth more alive than dead."
Charles, in Brussels as part of a two-day visit, said tackling the issue was "a task that calls for the biggest public, private and non-governmental organisation partnership ever seen".
He called for a global partnership to find and implement solutions to the problem.
He added that the corporate world was often ahead of many politicians in the debate on climate change, and he said only a coalition of the public and private sectors and non-governmental organisations could find an effective solution.
Welcoming recent proposals from the European Commission, Charles said the European Union had a vital role to play in tackling climate change.
He highlighted the particular problem of deforestation, which was simultaneously releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere while robbing the planet of a "natural thermostat, helping to regulate our climate" and playing a crucial role in sustaining life on earth.
Charles has set up his own Rainforests Project to find a way to make it more financially attractive to keep the forests rather than destroy them.
Yesterday, the Prince had a meeting with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso before attending a round-table discussion with representatives from a number of his charities and European Commissioners.
He also visited Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe and his wife, Princess Mathilde.
Today he met European Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöaut;ttering before delivering his speech to representatives from the environment committee, NGOs and parliamentarians.
Charles's stance on green issues has left him open to accusations of "green hypocrisy", a charge levelled at him for flying to America with a 20-strong entourage to collect an environmental award a year ago.
He has decided not to use a private jet for his spring tour to the Caribbean with Camilla.
He revealed the Government will pay for him and his entourage to take scheduled flights as well as renting tycoon Sir Donald Gosling's yacht for official visits, saving 40 per cent in carbon emissions as well as reducing the cost to the taxpayer.
Charles's speech comes as his charity is locked in a dispute with the Sainsbury family over the charity's use of a £2.5 million bequest intended to help young people from poor rural communities find work.
Annabel Kanabus, scion of one of Britain's wealthiest dynasties, has demanded that the Prince's Trust repay £1million and waive its right to a further £1.5million bequeathed to it by her son, Jason Kanabus, who died from cancer last summer, aged 30.
The executors of the son's estate are angry that, almost a year after the Prince's Trust took control of the first £1million, it has provided no evidence that beneficiaries have gone on to find work in farming.
The Prince's Trust denies misusing the money and refuses to repay it. The trust has also demanded that the balance of £1.5million be paid to it immediately.
dailymail.co.uk
