"We will inspire an entire generation who will be equipped to make the changes we so desperately need." Prince Charles addresses UN Biodiversity Summit
Prince Charles will tell the UN today we face a “reset moment” to educate and inspire an entire generation to make changes in how we understand nature as he (virtually) opens the UN Biodiversity Summit.
More than 140 signatories across 50 countries are calling on governments to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to act now to prevent a wave of extinction by committing an initial $500 billion for nature conservation worldwide.
The letter, coordinated by FFI (Fauna & Flora International - the world’s oldest international wildlife conservation organisation) and backed by Sir David Attenborough, has been delivered to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the start of the UN Biodiversity Summit.
Prince Charles told GMB exclusively: "As a first step if we are to restore the critical balance between people and planet we need to protect, restore and invest in nature. After all, nature is central to all aspects of our existence. From the air we breathe, our nourishment and shelter to the spiritual, cultural and recreational wellbeing.
"This virtuous circle of nature is something the world's indigenous people understand only too well and is why we should listen and learn from the profound wisdom of their intuitive sixth sense, something we have so rashly and tragically discarded as being irrelevant in a modern world.
"As we focus on these solutions at a local level we also need to think about investing in scale. We need to explore cross-border efforts to maintain and restore highly bio-diverse natural ecosystems over large land and marine areas."
He added: "In this reset moment, we have an incredible opportunity to change the way that we educate children so that they can better understand humanity's relationship with nature. By doing so, we will inspire an entire generation who will be equipped to make the changes we so desperately need."