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London (AFP) – Britain’s new King Charles III is a committed environmentalist with a long history of campaigning for better conservation, organic farming and tackling climate change, which is likely to sit well with more eco-conscious young Britons.
Interspersed between photos of official meetings and other royal duties, his Instagram account as Prince of Wales mostly features photos that show him pursuing environmental causes in Britain and beyond.
They include planting trees, displaying organic fruits and vegetables from his residence at Clarence House and colorful flowers growing in the garden of his beloved Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, western England.
One photo even captured Charles — who has now passed the title of prince of Wales to his son and heir William — visiting the threatened mangroves of St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean.
When Britain hosted the COP26 climate summit in Scotland last year, he gave the opening speech, urging the world leaders sitting before him to redouble their efforts to tackle global warming. of the world and warning: “Time is literally running out.”
Since his first major public address on the subject in 1970, Charles has “raised awareness about all aspects of the environment for a long time,” says Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
“In many ways he is at the forefront of public awareness and political awareness” of the issue, he told AFP.
Moving forward
At Highgrove, Charles cultivates a garden, which is open to the public, as well as a fully organic farm.
This initially left some neighboring farmers skeptical, but gradually became a successful business and sold its products under the brand “Duchy Organic” to the high-end supermarket chain Waitrose.
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“His Royal Highness has taken many steps personally to live more sustainably,” his official website for his tenure as prince of Wales said.
It noted that about 90 percent of energy for office and domestic use today comes from renewable sources, with about half generated from on-site renewable sources such as solar panels, biomass boilers and heat pumps. and the remainder from electricity and gas purchased from renewable sources. .
Over the years Charles published his annual carbon footprint – including unofficial travel – which amounted to 445 tonnes in the year to March 2022.
His car, an Aston Martin owned for more than 50 years, was modified to use surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese-making process.
It runs on a mixture of 85 percent bioethanol, and 15 percent unleaded gasoline.
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The monarch has been president of the WWF-UK animal charity since 2011, succeeding her late father Prince Philip, who held the same role from 1981 to 1996.
He is also the patron of many other associations, such as “Surfers Against Sewage”, and has made many speeches warning of the loss of biodiversity.
More recently, in April, he wrote an article for Newsweek magazine – and also graced its cover – entitled “we are judged by our children”.
Sensitive
Her vocal stances on issues including the environment have prompted some criticism that she has departed from constitutional rules that see the royal family remain politically neutral at all times.
Charles has repeatedly promised to remain faithful to the practices of the constitution, most recently this week when he ascended the throne.
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But he may not see environmental and conservation causes as overtly political.
“He’s very sensitive as a head of state,” Ward predicted.
“He has to be careful about looking to act in a way that can be seen to put pressure on the government. But I don’t expect him to say no.”
Ruby Wright, a 42-year-old illustrator who came to Buckingham Palace to pay her respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, said on Friday that she hoped “she sticks to her guns”.
“I think he needs to be more moderate and really push the environmental agenda and make that his legacy,” he told AFP.
“I know he is not allowed to be a politician but this is not politics. This is the future of the people.”
Laura Beirne, a 30-year-old fashion designer, agrees. “I think it’s positive that he supports the environment. That’s important, I think, for my generation.”
As king, he had little time for his passions of gardening and farming. He admitted in an interview in 1986 that he talked to plants, which attracted some ridicule.
But the baton has been passed to his son William, who shares his commitment to the environment.
Last year William created the Earthshot prize, which rewards projects that propose solutions to the climate crisis.
© 2022 AFP
