The dire prospects for the world’s environmental resources and wildlife has led the Prince of Wales to declare “there’s an awful lot to worry about”.
Charles – whose environmental campaigning earned him a major award last night – said his efforts were driven by a need to leave future generations a world “which isn’t even more destroyed and damaged and dysfunctional than it need be”.
The heir to the throne’s comments came after he was presented with the exceptional leadership in conservation honour, from the International Conservation Caucus Foundation during a ceremony in Washington.
In his acceptance speech Charles, who was watched by wife Camilla, praised the farsighted efforts of US president Franklin D Roosevelt, who sought to protect his nation’s wildlife and open spaces.
Charles said: “The world has looked to the United States for leadership in so many challenging circumstances in the past.
“However, today we are faced by truly exceptional challenges and threats – a veritable ‘perfect storm’ which, if not met by strong, decisive and far-sighted leadership, could overwhelm our capacity to rectify the damage and thereby destroy our grandchildren’s future inheritance.”
He listed his areas of concern from the continuing destruction of rainforests, to the threat to endangered animals like rhinos, elephants and tigers and the need for sustainable cities.
The prince told the invited guests: “I repeatedly hear it said – as I am sure you do – that looking after nature is too costly; a barrier to growth and a danger to economic competitiveness.
“So long as this perspective prevails, then I fear the destruction of natural systems will be seen as in some way rational and an unavoidable price of progress.”
Charles has been highlighting his environmental concerns for decades and during that time has set up a number of bodies to help find solutions to rainforest deforestation and over-fishing of fish stocks, while he is now tackling a new issue of the dumping of plastics in the world’s waters.
After the event held at the Andrew W Mellon auditorium, the prince was briefly interviewed by the BBC and asked why after his many years of campaigning, he still cared about the issues.
He replied: “If I turn it round the other way, I think you’d be a bit surprised if I didn’t care about these things, but I think particularly in terms of what I’ve been talking about now, there is an awful lot to worry about.”
Charles went on to say his only concern was what kind of world would be left for future generations and that he had been bringing together NGOs, private and public sector bodies, experts and government representatives “to discuss all these particular issues and see if we can get some action on making sure we hand over a world, particularly to our grandchildren, which isn’t even more destroyed and damaged and dysfunctional than it need be”.
The royal couple will spend the last day of their four-day tour of the US in the Kentucky city of Louisville – the home city of renowned boxer Muhammad Ali.
They will tour the city which features a cultural centre dedicated to the life and achievements of the three-time former heavyweight boxing champion.
There are no plans for the prince and his wife to meet Ali but they will receive a local welcome, complete with jug band, when a cultural festival is staged in their honour at an African American Centre.
Clarence House have said that central to Charles’ visit to the city is a symposium on health where he will give a keynote speech to health professionals and business, faith and community leaders about the links between health and the natural environment.
Earlier yesterday, US president Barack Obama has confessed to the Prince of Wales that Americans are not only fond of the Royal Family, but like them better than their own politicians.
The US leader highlighted the appeal of the British monarchy as the two men sat down for informal talks in the White House’s famous Oval Office.
The Obamas have developed their own close bond with the Queen and her family, with the First Lady and the monarch striking up a firm friendship during the president’s 2011 state visit to the UK.
The Prince and the president last spoke face to face in the US almost four years ago when Charles flew there a few days after the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
This time he was joined by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, and vice president Joe Biden made an appearance.
Mr Obama told Charles: “I think it’s fair to say that the American people are quite fond of the royal family,” and the prince replied: “That’s awfully nice to know.”
The US president then joked: “They like them much better than they like their own politicians,” and Charles added with a laugh: “I don’t believe that.”
