The green king: Charles the environmentalist

The green king: Charles the environmentalist

King Charles III has been a lifelong environmentalist
King Charles III has been a lifelong environmentalist. Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP/File
Source: 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 younger Britons.

Interspersed between photos of official meetings and other royal duties, his Instagram account as Prince of Wales typically featured pictures showing him furthering environmental causes in Britain and beyond.

They included planting trees, showing off organic fruit and vegetables from his Clarence House residence and colourful flowers growing in the garden at his beloved Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, western England.

One photo even captured Charles -- who has now passed the prince of Wales title to his son and heir William -- on a visit to threatened mangrove swamps in St Vincent and Grenadines in the Caribbean.

Read also

UN chief says world paying 'horrific price' for fossil fuels folly

When Britain hosted the COP26 climate summit in Scotland last year, he gave the opening speech, urging world leaders seated in front of him to redouble their efforts to confront global warming and warning: "Time has quite literally run out."

Since his first big public speech on the subject in 1970, Charles has "been raising awareness about all aspects of the environment for a very long time," said Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

"In many ways he has been ahead of the public awareness and political awareness" on the issue, he told AFP.

Sustainability

At Highgrove, Charles has cultivated a garden, which is open to the public, as well as a fully organic farm.

He championed organic farming at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, western England
He championed organic farming at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, western England. Photo: Hugo Burnand / CLARENCE HOUSE/AFP
Source: AFP

It initially left some neighbouring farmers sceptical, but has gradually become a successful business and sells its produce under the "Duchy Organic" brand in the high-end supermarket chain Waitrose.

Read also

UN chief in Pakistan to boost flood aid for devastated millions

"His Royal Highness has taken many steps personally to live in a more sustainable way," his official website for his tenure as prince of Wales said.

It noted about 90 percent of energy for office and domestic use now came from renewable sources, with around half that 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.

For several years Charles has 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 over 50 years, has been modified to run on surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese-making process.

He publishes his carbon footprint and has converted his Aston Martin car to run on bioethanol from surplus wine and cheese
He publishes his carbon footprint and has converted his Aston Martin car to run on bioethanol from surplus wine and cheese. Photo: Glyn KIRK / AFP
Source: AFP

It runs on a mixture of 85 percent bioethanol, and 15 percent unleaded petrol.

The monarch has been president of the WWF-UK animal charity since 2011, emulating his late father Prince Philip, who performed the same role from 1981 to 1996.

Read also

'Black spider' letters, Diana divorce: Charles's biggest scandals

He is also the patron of several other associations, such as "Surfers Against Sewage", and made numerous speeches warning of the disappearance of biodiversity.

More recently, in April, he wrote an article for Newsweek magazine -- and also graced its cover -- headlined "our children are judging us".

Sensitive

His vocal stances on issues including the environment have prompted some criticism that he is departing from constitutional norms which see the royal family remain politically neutral at all times.

His ideas on the environment and climate change once saw him dismissed as a crank but the ideas are now mainstream
His ideas on the environment and climate change once saw him dismissed as a crank but the ideas are now mainstream. Photo: Andrew Milligan / POOL/AFP/File
Source: AFP

Charles has repeatedly vowed to remain true to constitutional practices, as recently as this week when he ascended to the throne.

But he may not see environmental and conservation causes as overtly political.

"He would be very sensitive as a head of state," predicted Ward.

"He must be very careful about being seen to act in a way that might be seen as putting pressure on the government. But I don't expect him not to speak at all."

Read also

William and Kate modernise royal family life

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 hopes "he sticks to his guns".

"I think he needs to be more modest and really push the environmental agenda and make that his legacy," she told AFP.

"I know he's not allowed to be political at all but this isn't politics. This is the future of humanity."

Laura Beirne, a 30-year-old fashion designer, agreed. "I think it's positive he supports the environment. That's important, I think, for my generation."

As king, he will have less time for his passions of gardening and farming. He admitted in an interview in 1986 that he talked to plants, attracting some mockery.

But the baton has already 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.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.