The Prince of Wales will attend the crucial UN Cop30 climate summit in Brazil Next month, the Guardian has learned that the jury is still out on whether the prime minister will step down.
Prince William will present the Earthshot Prize, a global environmental award, and attend a meeting of representatives from more than 190 governments in Belém.
Environmental experts welcomed the prince's presence. Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of consultancy Futerra, said it would raise the bar in what was likely to be a difficult summit at which the world must agree on new targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
“Is Prince William's presence on the Cop a stunt? Yes. But that doesn't mean it's a bad idea,” she said. “The policeman has long been involved not only in negotiations, but also in so-called 'optics.'” Prince William's announcement is likely to prompt other leaders to make commitments and attract global media attention.
“I suspect His Royal Highness is well aware that his appearance will attract millions of eyes to the event. In an era where climate impacts are rising and media coverage is falling, anything that attracts attention should be celebrated.”
King Charles has attended previous Cops but won't attend this one.
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Gareth Redmond-King of the Energy and Climate Think Tank, an environmental think tank, said: “All hands on deck – and any prominent, high-profile person like the Prince of Wales helping to make the case for the difficult work that needs to be done is almost certainly a good thing.”
“[King Charles] was Prince of Wales when he went to Cop26 [in Glasgow in 2021] and took part in intensifying negotiations. I don’t think it’s necessary for both of them to leave.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has yet to say whether he will attend the summit, to which all world leaders have been invited, with points already confirmed. He has come under fire from leading environmental groups, including former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Irish President Mary Robinson, for appearing to waver on the decision late last month.
Ban said: “World leaders must be in Belem to KS30. Visiting is not a courtesy, it is a test of leadership. Now is the time to secure stronger national commitments and funding to implement them, especially for adaptation” to the impacts of the climate crisis.
“The world is watching and history will remember who showed up.”
