Prince William has just arrived in Belem, having flown from Rio de Janeiro with Sir Keir Starmer this morning aboard the Prime Minister’s Government jet. The pair have travelled almost 2,000 miles to Belem, in the Amazon rainforest, for COP30, the annual UN climate meeting.
It is the first time that William has travelled internationally for a COP summit, as his father, the King, usually attends the environmental event. However, his son and heir is stepping in for him as William was already in Brazil ahead of the event, and the climate-conscious King felt it didn’t make environmental sense to take another long-haul flight out to join him at COP. The 76-year-old monarch also didn’t want to risk missing key Remembrance events back home this weekend.
At the event, the prince will deliver a keynote speech to world leaders, which will mark another first as it marks the first time William will have given a speech on behalf of the King.
William has attended COP before, joining his father when it was held in Glasgow in 2021, but it was his father who delivered the keynote speech.
The future king is expected to carry out other events related to the conference while he is in Belem.
It comes after William warned there is “no time for complacency” to tackle environmental issues in a speech at his fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Rio last night.
“This is no time for complacency,” he told the 1,200 guests gathered at the eye-catching Museum of Tomorrow situated next to the waterfront at Earthshot Boulevard. “The choices we make during this decade will define us but more importantly, they will define the lives of young people. The future belongs to them. They are the ones who will inherit the planet we are fighting to protect.”
Four young climate activists then joined the prince on stage, as they spoke of their visions for the future, including a world powered by clean energy, where nothing is wasted and the oceans are teeming with life.
Despite the warning shot, William’s five-minute speech struck a largely optimistic tone, as he hailed Earthshot finalists and winners, new and old.
He said, “Their work is the proof we need that progress is possible. Their stories are the inspiration that gives us courage. And there’s a great deal we can learn from their determination, their vision for scale and their unyielding belief that we can create a better world. It’s no exaggeration to say that they are the world’s true action heroes.”
William’s speech, which had been given the royal seal of approval from his eco-warrior father before he left for Brazil, came after the five winners of the £1million environmental award had been announced.
Discussing the 2025 finalists, whom he met earlier on Wednesday at the summit of the Brazilian landmark, Christ the Redeemer, the prince said: “Our finalists are a shining example of how we can build stronger economies, design healthier cities, and create better jobs for the next generation.
“We can support the dreamers and innovators who work tirelessly to build a more sustainable world. We can protect our beautiful planet for all life that calls it home.”
Last night’s ceremony marked the focal point of William’s three-day trip to Rio. Samba dancers and artists from the city’s annual carnival greeted guests before they walked Earthshot’s famed green carpet, given its name because everyone is encouraged to dress sustainably.
Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes and Anitta were among the star-studded lineup to pose for photographs on the green carpet before they took to the stage to perform for those seated inside.
William chatted to host Luciano Huck before meeting UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who became the first PM to attend the awards ceremony since its launch five years ago, and took their seats to watch the impressive performance.
William was later spotted singing along as Kylie closed the show with a high-energy medley of her hits Padam, Can’t get you out of my Head and a cover of Celebration by Kool and the Gang. After the ceremony, he thanked Kylie, Gilberto Gil and Seu Jorge for performing.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
