World on the brink, says Charles, as he praises both sons for climate work

The Prince of Wales has said ‘the eyes of our children and our grandchildren are judging us’.

The Prince of Wales (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

The Prince of Wales has warned “the world is on the brink” of environmental catastrophe, as he praised both his sons for their work addressing climate change.

In an essay for American magazine Newsweek Charles likened the impact of global warming to the threat of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963.

He also said he was proud of both the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex for highlighting the dangers posed by climate change.

“As a father, I am proud that my sons have recognised this threat.

“Most recently my elder son, William, launched the prestigious Earthshot Prize to incentivise change and help repair our planet over the next 10 years by identifying and investing in the technologies that can make a difference,” he wrote.

“And my younger son, Harry, has passionately highlighted the impact of climate change, especially in relation to Africa, and committed his charity to being net zero.”

And he paid tribute to his late father, the Duke of Edinburgh, for being decades ahead of his time in the battle against global warming.

“Sixty years ago, my late father identified the damage humankind was inflicting on the planet and helped to found the World Wildlife Fund,” he said.

Charles called on the global private sector to invest in a sustainable future, saying it would take “trillions, not billions” to re-orient the world economy away from fossil fuels.

The prince quoted the late US president John F Kennedy’s “Strategy of Peace” speech, which called for a de-escalation of the nuclear arms race at the height of the Cold War.

“Once again, the world is on the brink, and we need the mobilising urgency of a war-like footing if we are to win,” he wrote.

The war-footing analogy is one Charles has used before as a call to action, having used the same phrase during his address to world leaders at the Cop26 summit last November.

In 2020, during a video message for Climate Week NYC, he similarly called for a “Marshall-like plan for nature, people and the planet”.

Charles added that “the eyes of our children and our grandchildren are judging us” over the current response to climate change.

“Already, younger generations have expressed an understandable frustration about the pace of action on this issue,” he said.

Outlining a three-point plan, the prince said meaningful change would require commitments from global industries, private investment and the world’s governments.

The first would need to set out green business strategies, the second would need to help fund the transition, and the third would need to provide “clear market signals” to investors to give them the confidence to offer long-term financial backing, he said.

The prince said: “The time is now… Let ours be the generation that ‘can’.  And does.  As we enter a new year, there is not a moment to lose.”

The essay marks the first time the Prince of Wales has written for a US publication in 10 years, Clarence House confirmed.

It will feature as the cover story of the magazine’s second issue of 2022, dated January 21 and available from January 14.

Newsweek’s global editor-in-chief Nancy Cooper said: “We are proud to publish the Prince of Wales’ powerful appeal, calling on all of us to address this crucial challenge.

“Given his decades of engagement on this issue, he can speak with deep knowledge and real authority.”