Charles will not cool on climate action, say friends

Image source, PA Archive

Is King Charles III going to stop campaigning for the environment?

The Prince of Wales spent decades campaigning and cajoling to drive action on environmental issues.

The king is obliged to be politically neutral.

His friends and advisers say he won't change his mind about global warming.

What a modern monarchy would look like if it urged action on global issues like climate change.

From sustainable farming practices to water security, King Charles' interests have varied. They started before concerns became mainstream.

The Prince of Wales wrote to the Prime Minister worried about the decline of salmon stocks in Scottish rivers. He said that people are short-sighted when it comes to questions of wildlife.

He sees global warming as one of the greatest challenges mankind has ever faced. He urged world leaders to save the planet during a speech at the opening ceremony of the global climate summit in Glasgow last year.

He told me that it has taken a long time for the world to respond to the risks of climate change. "But they just talk, the problem is to get action," he said, when I pointed out that world leaders would soon be gathering to discuss the climate crisis.

He said people should notice how despairing so many young people are when they take to the streets with groups like Extinction Rebellion.

He made it very clear that it would be a disaster if they didn't take action. It is going to be a disaster. Nothing in nature can survive the stress that is created by these extreme weather events.

The new king is said to be the most significant environmental figure of all time. The chairman of Natural England and a long-term adviser to Charles has said of his knowledge and impact.

Is Charles going to be so outspoken on this or any other issue?

Jonathan Porritt is a former head of Friends of the Earth and an ex-adviser to the new king.

King Charles has made statements like that. He replied "I am not that stupid" when asked if he would be a "meddling" king.

He laughed when I asked if the government of Boris Johnson was doing enough to address the climate issue. I was unable to comment.

The new king said last week that it would not be possible for him to give as much of his time and energy to the charities that he cares about.

His passion for the environment won't go away. His work had been taken away from the public eye.

According to his former press secretary, the King is a convener, connecting people and organizations in ways that open up possibilities. The best brains and the most experienced people would be invited.

As he takes on this new role, Mr Payne thinks it will be a pattern that will continue.

Charles's approach to problem-solving has resulted in some unforeseen initiatives. He worked to engage the accountants in tackling climate change.

He was aware that the world needed ways of calculating emissions and judging companies. In 2004, he set up the Accounting for Sustainability Project to try to figure out how to make it happen.

He encourages the business community to take action on climate change. The heads of some of the biggest financial institutions and businesses in the world are now part of his sustainable markets initiative

They are described as a "coalition of the willing" and have signed up to his pledges.

Charles said that a military-style campaign was needed to marshal the strength of the private sector.

I was told by a senior British politician that he could imagine Charles saying the same thing. He said that he could imagine him speaking about the need to take more urgent action on climate.

Image source, PA Media

John Kerry is a climate envoy for the US. He hopes Charles will keep pushing for action on climate.

Mr Kerry said that the issue was not about ideology but about the survival of the planet. I can't imagine him not pressing for action on climate and feeling compelled to use his position as monarch to urge the world to do the things the world needs to do.

It's an obligation on the governments of the UK to tackle climate change.

The act requires the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It is an important priority. The prime minister said her government would double down on reaching the target.

How controversial is it for a British monarch to publicly support something that is already in the law?