Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has warned climate change poses such a severe threat that the world’s only option is to adopt a military-style response reminiscent of the United States Marshall Plan to rebuild post-war Europe.
Reuters Newsagency reports a long-time advocate for nature, the British royal said climate change was rapidly becoming a “comprehensive catastrophe” that will dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“At this late stage I can see no other way forward but to call for a Marshall-like plan for nature, people and planet,” Prince Charles said in a video recorded for the launch of a week of virtual climate change events in New York.
“We must now put ourselves on a warlike footing, approaching our action from the perspective of a military-style campaign,” he said.
Scientists say the world is on track for catastrophic warming in the coming decades unless governments take rapid action to wean the global economy off fossil fuels and protect and restore forests, wetlands, peatlands and other ecosystems.
With existing commitments falling far short of the kind of transformational action scientists say is now vital, many advocates of climate action are urging governments to respond with the kind of urgency historically reserved for wartime.
While many national governments are lagging behind on climate targets, pledges by cities and companies to slash greenhouse gas emissions have roughly doubled in less than a year, with many seeking climate-friendly recoveries from the pandemic, according to a report just published.
Cities and regions with a carbon footprint greater than the emissions of the US and companies with a combined revenue of more than US$11.4 trillion are now pursuing net zero emissions by the end of the century.
The majority are aiming for a zero-carbon economy by 2050, as part of a United Nations “Race to Zero” campaign, said the report by the Data-Driven EnviroLab and the NewClimate Institute think-tanks.
EcoNews is an independent publication that relies on contributions from its readers.
WE’RE BUILDING A PLATFORM WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL GOOD. CONTRIBUTE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.
If you value EcoNews, but are unable to contribute via sponsorship or advertising we ask that you promote our online store The Native Shop – www.nativeshop.com.au via your social media to assist us to fund this valuable service.
