Prince William warns ‘inch-by-inch’ action is not enough to stop climate change

Prince William has issued a dramatic plea for action to tackle climate change to be sped up before it is too late.

Current measures are proceeding at a snail’s pace “inch by inch” and are nowhere near enough to address the problem, he said.

The future king argues that the “devastation” caused by summer wildfires in Britain and worldwide underlines the need for greater urgency in combatting global warming.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, the Prince of Wales said his Earthshot Prize competition to find new ways to repair the planet shows that technological solutions can be found.

He denies he is displaying “blind hope” that it is not too late to deal with environmental crises like climate change.

Answers have been found, he said, but they are either not being used, or not being used fast enough to meet the emergency.

He said action must be stepped up in what is left of this decade, effectively setting a deadline of 2030, less than four years from now.

Despite the grave tone of his clarion call, the prince insists he has not given up hope that the planet can be rescued.

He writes: “I have seen solutions already working and the impact they are capable of. That gives me optimism. Knowing that we no longer have time for inch-by-inch improvements, that change must be systemic and at scale, gives me urgency.

“The wildfires we have witnessed this summer are a reminder of why that matters. We can, and must, make the remainder of this decade count.”

The prince said the damage caused by the fires is “alarming”.

“These fires are also a powerful reminder of the risks associated with a warming climate. They bring into focus the challenges posed by weather patterns that are becoming less predictable and more extreme.

“The crisis demands urgency. But without a belief that change is possible, its scale can leave us feeling overwhelmed.”

It is essential to carry on believing that climate change can be curbed, and not give up the fight, the prince said.

“For the first time in history, our greatest challenge is not inventing the answers. It is deploying and scaling the solutions we already know work. It is not naivety or blind hope. It is optimism grounded in evidence. I believe that our ability to respond can be the biggest story of this decade.”

He said some of the schemes to emerge from Earthshot, a global competition set up to produce ideas to reduce climate change, curb pollution and protect wildlife, have proved that practical remedies can be found.

“They show that progress is not an abstract hope.”

But co-operation is essential. “No country or continent has a monopoly on the answers. Solutions can come from anywhere, and that should encourage us all,” he said.

And crucially, such schemes need extra cash.

“That requires people willing to fund them, adopt them and take them further. When that happens, one success can make the next easier; costs fall, confidence grows and solutions spread. Progress begins to reinforce progress.”

He adds: “Wildfires have captured the world’s attention. Work to reduce their risk and limit their impact is already under way – as are solutions to clean our air, fix our climate, revive our oceans, eliminate waste and restore nature.”

Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize, whose name was inspired by the “moonshot” space exploration of the 20th century, in 2020.

His stated aim was to show that competition, invention and optimism are the best means of overcoming the multiple environmental challenges facing the world.

The prize is organised around five Earthshots: protecting and restoring nature; cleaning the air; reviving the oceans; building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate. Each year, five winners receive £1m, as well as access to a network of investors, businesses and experts intended to help turn promising projects into solutions capable of operating on a global scale.

For the prince, Earthshot has become more than an environmental campaign. It is a central part of his public role, offering him a platform on which to champion innovation while engaging governments, business leaders, scientists and campaigners.

Some campaigners claim businesses and governments have been too slow to embrace and develop the groundbreaking schemes Earthshot has produced.

The prince made his dramatic intervention to coincide with this month’s launch for the third year of The Independent Climate 100 list, which highlights those who make a difference in this crucial area. It will be launched in New York on 22 September during Climate Week.