"It is time to implement" on climate targets - Prince Charles

London, 11 December 2020

Mesdames et Messieurs,

A la veille du Sommet sur l’ambition climatique, co-organisé par les Nations unies, la France et le Royaume-Uni, j’ai été profondément touché d’avoir été sollicité par son Excellence l’Ambassadrice de France, pour proposer quelques réflexions à l’occasion du cinquième anniversaire de l’Accord de Paris sur le climat.

J’ai été très fier il y a cinq ans de prendre la parole à l’ouverture de la COP 21 à Paris et de voir l’accord historique qui s’en est suivi. Cinq ans plus tard, nous nous trouvons à nouveau à un moment critique pour notre planète, avec une nouvelle occasion de déterminer l’avenir que nous lèguerons aux générations suivantes.

The current pandemic has brought unimaginable devastation to people’s lives, their livelihoods and national economies. At the same time, the green recovery represents an unprecedented opportunity to rethink and reset the ways in which we live and do business, particularly as we look at tackling the inter-dependent climate, biodiversity and health crises. Rather alarmingly, I realized that it is now more than 50 years since I first gave a speech encouraging the protection of our environment. In the decades since, I have seen for myself the changing land- and seascapes, along with the devastating impact on lives and livelihoods in most every corner of the globe. Over these many years I have discussed the situation with leaders from every continent. I have also been fortunate to know many of the world’s most eminent experts on these issues, and have worked across public and private sectors, as well as with NGOs and philanthropists, to identify practical solutions to the challenges that we face.

Over this time we have seen a few phases in terms of global mobilization. The first, kickstarted in Rio in 1992, was to make the case for confronting climate change, knowing that no one country can tackle the climate, environment and biodiversity crises alone. The second was to acknowledge that we must all work together on a common road map if we are to achieve results. This was achieved with the historic Paris climate agreement in 2015. The third, over these past five years, has been to reflect on what each of us must do to deliver on the targets we have set. Now, as we look to the next phase, it is time to implement.

A cette fin, au cours de l’année dernière, j’ai travaillé dans le cadre de mon « initiative des marchés durables » avec des dirigeants mondiaux, des chefs d’industrie, des investisseurs et des experts, pour identifier les solutions qui permettront d’accélérer nos progrès. La croissance économique de notre époque repose sur la construction d’un avenir durable, mais pour y parvenir, nous devons réaliser que nous sommes un peuple partageant une même planète, et non les pièces individuelles d’un puzzle. Il est également essentiel que nous remettions la nature au cœur de notre modèle économique, tout en rassemblant les ressources et l’énergie des secteurs public, privé et philanthropique. Le tout à un rythme et à une échelle sans précédent.

Having worked towards a “Marshall-like” plan for nature, people and planet, and as we look to 2021 and embark on a warlike footing, I look forward to continuing to work with coalitions of the willing who have the determination to shift our trajectory in line with a sustainable future. This is hard work and, as I know only too well, it will require relentless perseverance over the coming decade. I firmly believe we can succeed and I intend, through my Sustainable Markets Initiative, to support the world in these efforts every step of the way. After all, human history has been shaped by the audacity to achieve that which had once seemed unachievable, to reach places which have seemed beyond our grasp and to realize that which hitherto had lain beyond the bounds of our imagination. With this same audacious determination, we can bring about change at a pace and scale never seen before, and in so doing we can secure the future of our planet and so much of the precious and diverse life that shares it.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

Il y a cinq ans, à Paris, j’ai dit qu’il n’y avait pas de Plan B. Si nous n’agissons pas maintenant, le Plan A ne sera plus réalisable. L’ambition est essentielle, mais l’ambition seule ne suffit pas. Pour ce cinquième anniversaire, renouvelons nos efforts ; visons toujours plus haut et agissons avec détermination ; non pas parce que nous le pouvons, mais parce que nous le devons.