Prince William says everyone may be ‘part of the problem’ when it comes to climate crisis

‘It will take every one of us, as individuals, as schools, as communities, as businesses, and as leaders to do our bit,’ says Duke of Cambridge

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Duke of Cambridge has spoken out about the importance of people playing their part when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.

As part of a new five-part BBC documentary released in the run up to the awards ceremony for Prince William’s environmental Earthshot Prize, he explains that it’s down to everyone to do their “bit”.

“We stand at a fork in the road, we continue on our current path the natural world will decline around us, and with it potentially everything we now take for granted,” he says in the final episode of the documentary.

“But if we take the other path, if we strive to find solutions to our biggest problems we can create a different future for our children and grandchildren, a better future.

“One in which both humanity and nature thrive, in which the way we live our lives works in harmony with the climate.

“A future with flourishing productive oceans, one that is free of the burden of our waste and that offers, each of us, clean air with every breath.”

Speaking about achieving tangible change, he added: “It is within our reach but only if we reach for it now.

“Over the next 10 years the Earthshot Prize will celebrate, champion and scale 50 innovative solutions to the biggest environmental challenges facing our planet.

“But in truth, it’ll take a lot more than 50 solutions.

“It will take every one of us, as individuals, as schools, as communities, as businesses, and as leaders to do our bit.

“To change our choices and our habits, to set and achieve our own personal Earthshots, we can change the world again.

“Today everyone of us may, unintentionally, be part of the problem but from today, working together, we can all become part of the solution.”

William launched the Earthshot prize, the name of which was inspired by Apollo moon landings, nicknamed “Moonshot”, earlier this year as a way of encouraging people to improve the planet.

Across five categories, people submitted solutions that will help tackle the various environmental challenges facing the planet.

Five winners will then be chosen across the categories and each will receive £1 million to help make their idea a reality.

The BBC series begins on Sunday and the Earthshot Prize winners will be announced on 17 October.