22-9-2023 (LONDON) While Britain’s Prime Minister may be dialing back on his green commitments, King Charles III delivered a distinct message on the global stage during a historic speech to the French Senate. He emphasized the imperative for France and the U.K. to collaborate more effectively in tackling the challenges posed by climate change, highlighting the existential importance of the issue.
This address came less than 24 hours after U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the scaling down of several policies aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions in Britain by 2050. Sunak’s announcement sparked outrage among opposition politicians, environmental activists, and certain business groups.
King Charles, renowned for his unwavering stance on climate change, had previously called for united action against the “scourge of climate change” during a speech at the Palace of Versailles the night before. On Thursday, addressing the Senate in both French and English, he went further, stating, “Just as we stand together against military aggression [in Ukraine], so must we strive together to protect the world from our most existential challenge of all: that of global warming, climate change, and the catastrophic destruction of nature.”
He added, “In this century, humanity has begun to grasp that survival hinges on the protection of nature. This vision is especially pertinent in the 21st century.” The king expressed encouragement at the “measures taken by our governments, citizens, and increasingly by the private sector.”
The Green Advocate Charles has long established himself as a climate advocate, addressing the reality of climate change publicly as early as 1970 while still the heir to the throne. Despite adopting a more restrained approach on political matters as king, he remains steadfast in his commitment to environmental causes.
During his Thursday address, Charles emphasized the substantial contributions both the U.K. and France could make in the fight against climate change. His speech, meticulously planned, carries significance against the backdrop of scrutiny over Sunak’s climate policies at home, particularly his relaxation of key targets related to electric vehicles and cleaner heating.
Later in the day, Charles will join French President Emmanuel Macron in meetings with British and French business leaders who are actively engaged in collaborative efforts, innovation, and investment in sustainable growth and the preservation of biodiversity. These initiatives, as per the king, form an essential component of global leadership in addressing climate change. Charles will proceed to Bordeaux on Friday, where he will visit an organic vineyard and an urban forest, both sites for scientific research into the effects of climate change.
Charles asserted that both nations must play an “essential role in working in partnership and harmony with our governments and our people” to combat climate change.
Yaël Braun-Pivet, the speaker of France’s lower house, commended what she described as the king’s “personal commitment” to safeguarding biodiversity and the environment, a commitment that dates back to his youth.
As part of his state visit to France, King Charles is the first member of the U.K. royal family to address the French Senate since 2004 when his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered a speech during the centenary of the entente cordiale—an agreement between France and Britain in 1904 that aimed to resolve numerous colonial disputes.
The king proposed a new entente cordiale, this time focused on climate. He stated, “Let’s renew [our entente cordiale] for future generations. So that she becomes, I suggest, also an entente for sustainability, to answer more efficiently the worldwide emergency on climate and biodiversity.”
