Prince William says make peace with nature

Image source, Kensington Palace

Image caption, "It means change," Prince William said, in a video message at the United Nations
  • Author, Sean Coughlan
  • Role, Royal correspondent

The Prince of Wales has issued an urgent call to end environmental destruction and to "make peace with nature".

"We are living at odds with the natural world - and it is buckling under the pressure of our actions," he said, in a video message played at a Campaign for Nature event at the General Assembly of the United Nations, in New York.

Prince William said climate change and the prospect of a million species facing extinction represented the most pressing "existential threat".

His speech followed the announcement of the finalists for the fourth year of the prince's Earthshot awards for international ideas to improve sustainability.

Image source, Earthshot

Image caption, Among the Earthshot finalists is a scheme for earthquake-resilient bricks in Nepal

"If we are to keep this planet liveable for our children and grandchildren, we must act urgently," the prince said, in a speech that had echoes of the eco-campaigning of his father, King Charles III.

"We can and must change our relationship with the natural world."

Such a reset in the relationship would mean economic changes, "realigning financial flows from destruction to regeneration".

"It means change," the prince said, calling on international leaders "to halt the unsustainable production and consumption of natural resources".

"We must act to save our rivers, oceans, savannas, mangroves and forests, as well as the communities that protect and live alongside them," he said.

Image source, Earthshot

Image caption, A project in Ghana to reduce waste is one of the 15 Earthshot finalists

The 15 finalists for this year's Earthshot awards were also announced in New York, recognising innovative ways of protecting the environment, drawn from 2,500 nominations, including:

  • a project to reduce waste and cut air pollution in Ghana
  • building a social enterprise around farming seaweed in the Philippines
  • solar-powered refrigeration in Kenya
  • earthquake-resilient bricks in Nepal
  • a scheme in Kazakhstan to protect a type of antelope on the brink of extinction
  • a project in Scotlant to feed fish using a by-product from distilling whisky

The five winners, to be revealed at an event in Cape Town, South Africa, in November, will receive 拢1m each.

Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales is continuing her return to work, after the end of her chemotherapy.

On Tuesday, she held a meeting in Windsor Castle, to plan her annual Christmas carol concert in Westminster Abbey.