The Prince of Wales has told Cop26 the world has had enough of talking and “we need to put our words and commitments into practice”.
In a speech to delegates about steps needed to safeguard the world’s forests and land, he said nations needed to “honour” the rights of indigenous people who were “experienced custodians” of their habitats.
Charles said: “I cannot believe how many times I’ve ended speeches like this all over the world during the past 40 years – and to no avail.
“But I can only pray that this time, this session will provide us with a real sense of the seriously urgent systemic shifts that need to happen to deliver on our vision. And urge you all to take all the work we’ve discussed today with implacable resolve and determination to make things happen on the ground.”
He added: “Frankly, we have all had enough talking so we need to put our words and commitments into practice.”
📢 NEWS: At COP26, over 100 leaders have committed to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
"To have any chance of keeping below 1.5°C of global warming, we must halt deforestation" -- Sir David Attenborough
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Charles joined the session after speeches by US president Joe Biden and British prime minister Boris Johnson, who had earlier hailed a pledge by more than 100 international leaders to end the “great chainsaw massacre” of the world’s forests.
On the second day of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow, 110 nations – covering 85 per cent of the world’s forests – signed a declaration to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030.
The prince walked into the auditorium with a delegation of indigenous people from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, representing 24 countries with tropical rainforests, and wore a colourful necklace presented by an Ecuadorian member of the group.
He met them all briefly before his speech and told Juan Carlos Jintiach and Tuntiak Katan from Ecuador, who gave him the gift made by local women: “We’ve got to work harder to save your forests, for all our sakes.”
