News
HRH hosts the first May Day summit on climate change
30th April 2007
The Prince of Wales hosted a May Day Summit on climate change at St James’s Palace today and called for immediate action to solve what he called the world’s environmental “emergency”.
More than 1,000 business leaders from across the country were brought together for the May Day Summit which consisted of nine simultaneous regional events and one national ‘hub’ event, hosted by The Prince at St James’s Palace State Apartments.
The summit, which came from an idea of The Prince's, aimed to encourage the businesses to work together to create and commit to a powerful agenda to tackle climate change.
The companies attending were asked to make firm commitments on what they will do to tackle their contributions to climate change.
Those that are already developing carbon reduction strategies will be encouraged to do more and share their knowledge and will be offered on-going support to achieve these aims by Business in the Community, of which The Prince is President, and the Carbon Trust.
In his speech The Prince warned delegates that discussion was not enough. He said: "I would just like each of us to spend a little time thinking about the costs of not getting this right.
"I do not want my children and grandchildren, or anyone for that matter, saying to me 'Why didn't you do something when it was possible to make a difference and when you knew what was happening'.
"And that is really why we are all here. We are doing it for those that come after us. That's what really matters and why I have minded for so long.
"We can do it, just think what they did in the last war. Things that seemed impossible were achieved almost overnight."
The Prince told them: "When I was serving in the Royal Navy... mayday, mayday, mayday was the distress call used in cases of emergency. It still is, and this is an emergency we face."
He continued: "The crisis of climate change is far too urgent and discussion simply isn't enough. The reason we are all here is because, if the scientific consensus is right, we need to act very rapidly indeed."
His Royal Highness also urged people to set aside any remaining scepticism about the science of climate change, warning that the developing world could not be expected to do anything if the more developed world did not act urgently.
He said: "I hope today will show that everyone can do something, because business is not only a major contributor to climate change but can also play a key role in tackling the problems and reducing their impact... it just cannot be business as usual."
Doing nothing was "simply not an option", said The Prince.
His Royal Highness has already decided to publish details of his own carbon footprint in this summer's annual review of his accounts, and set a target to reduce the carbon emissions of his office and household.
At the end of the day, companies attending the summit were asked to make a firm commitment to tackle their contributions to climate change.
Those represented included Barclays Bank, British Airways, BSkyB, BT, J Sainsbury, Marks & Spencer, Rolls-Royce and Thames Water.
After his speech, The Prince sat at one of the tables alongside Marks & Spencer Chief Executive Stuart Rose and took part in an electronic question and answer session about the environment and an interactive quiz hosted by actor and comedian Stephen Fry.
A third of the 100 or so business leaders present at the hub event said the Government could not have much influence on limiting climate change but half agreed that industry and businesses in the UK could have a real effect.
Speaking after the quiz, Mr Fry said: "We are living in a new era. It is worth remembering that this is a new time for our planet. It is time we decided to take action on the single most important issue facing all of us.
"Whether you have children, grandchildren or no children at all but happen to be quite fond of this planet, we know that its future is in our hands. All it takes is will, nothing more than will."
Environmental experts Sir Crispin Tickell and Jonathon Porritt also addressed the summit.
Sir Crispin, a Government adviser on climate change, predicted that the problem would cause the weather to change everywhere, bringing droughts and storms, and that the melting of the ice caps would speed up to affect glaciers and the Himalayas and Andes.
He urged everyone to "pick up the mirror" and look at themselves, reflecting on how they would be able to live, work and eat if climate change was allowed to ravage the planet.
Sir Crispin also echoed the view that the problem was an enormous threat to the world, describing it as "worse than terrorism".
Mr Porritt, the founding director of Forum For The Future, told companies not to expect to reach a tipping point when they would have done enough to help the environment and nothing more would be expected of them.
And he warned that the UK could not have a "licence to negotiate" with countries such as India or China if the issue was not addressed here first.
Some businesses will lose out as they attempt to reduce their effect on the environment and they should be prepared for all the difficulties ahead, he added.
At the end of the day The Prince of Wales addressed the delegates with some closing remarks.
He said: “This is not about saving the planet. It’s about saving us. And that is where each and everyone of us has a responsibility to do what we can. Right at the start I referred to “May Day” as the universal call for help.
“The point is that when “May Day” is heard everyone responds and the response I have heard today has given me cause for real optimism. It isn’t yet too late – if we act now and together – that way I know we can make a real difference.”
Click here to read The Prince's speech.