Prince William has addressed world leaders at the Cop30 summit in Belém, Brazil, delivering an urgent plea for environmental action.
The Prince of Wales flew to the Amazon city with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday afternoon, having attended his Earthshot Prize ceremony in Rio de Janeiro the previous evening.
The royal’s speech was crafted jointly with his father, King Charles, marking a significant collaboration between the two generations on climate advocacy.
Speaking in the Amazon rainforest’s heart, William opened by acknowledging Brazil’s environmental leadership spanning decades.
Prince William has addressed world leaders at the Cop30 summit in Belém, Brazil, delivering an urgent plea for environmental action.
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He referenced the nation’s pioneering role since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and its current position as a renewable energy leader.
The prince expressed particular appreciation to Rio for hosting the Earthshot Prize, his initiative spotlighting innovative environmental solutions.
William issued stark warnings about the planet approaching dangerous thresholds that could trigger irreversible environmental collapse. He spoke of melting polar ice, Amazon destruction and ocean current disruption as imminent rather than distant dangers.
The prince drew on personal experience, recounting his visit with Princess Kate to Pontypridd in Wales, where residents remained traumatised by severe flooding.
The Prince of Wales flew to the Amazon city with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday afternoon, having attended his Earthshot Prize ceremony in Rio de Janeiro the previous evening.
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He shared how one local described their once-cherished river becoming a source of terror, illustrating climate change’s immediate impact on British communities.
Brazil’s environmental challenges featured prominently in the speech, with William citing the nation’s catastrophic 2023 experience of concurrent flooding, wildfires and drought.
He stressed that climate effects spare no region, threatening communities from small towns to major urban centres globally.
The royal emphasised that whilst climate risks affect everyone, those who contributed least to the crisis often suffer most severely.
The royal emphasised that whilst climate risks affect everyone, those who contributed least to the crisis often suffer most severely.
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The prince highlighted that nearly 800 million hectares of Indigenous lands remain legally unprotected. He emphasised that securing land rights enables these communities to prevent destructive projects whilst developing sustainable livelihoods.
He urged delegates to acknowledge Indigenous peoples as climate leaders deserving protected rights, amplified voices and respected knowledge.
The prince had met Indigenous representatives at Earthshot and Royal Foundation events in Rio, praising their dedication to environmental protection.
William acknowledged significant achievements since the Paris Agreement, including the UK-led COP26 pledge to reverse forest destruction by 2030, endorsed by over 140 nations.
He noted the Indigenous forest tenure commitment had surpassed its £1.7 billion target, reaching £1.86 billion to strengthen forest communities.
William stressed that whilst progress was encouraging, scientific evidence demanded greater ambition to ensure a habitable future. The prince insisted no nation could succeed alone, emphasising collective action’s necessity.
He concluded with a stirring appeal to delegates, urging them to consider their legacy to future generations.
“Let us be the generation that turned the tide—not for applause, but for the quiet gratitude of those yet to be born,” William declared as he urged leaders to seize the Cop30 moment with courage.
The royal’s final words reminded delegates that their children and grandchildren were watching and hoping for meaningful action.