COP26: Prince Charles calls for ‘war-like footing’ to tackle climate crisis

The Prince of Wales will argue that a “war-like footing” is needed to tackle the climate crisis, as he opens the Cop26 summit.

Charles is expected to call for a “vast military-style campaign” to address urgent environmental issues.

The royal, who has spent decades trying to raise awareness of the growing crisis, will speak at the opening ceremony of the major conference in Glasgow on Monday.

He is expected to stress the urgency of dealing with the climate crisis, saying: “We have to put ourselves on what might be called a war-like footing.”

He will go on to urge leaders across the globe to systematically engage with business to solve the climate problems the world faces.

He is expected to say: “We need a vast military-style campaign to marshal the strength of the global private sector. With trillions at its disposal.”

Charles also delivered a speech in Rome on Sunday, to leaders at the G20 summit.

During those remarks he described Cop26 as “the last-chance saloon”, as he called for “fine words” to be translated into “still finer actions”.

He told the politicians gathered in Italy’s capital that the private sector is “eager” to work with them and “ready to play a hugely significant and game-changing role”, saying solutions to major issues “seem possible only if there is a much closer partnership between Government, the main multilateral banks, the private sector and its investors”.

He added that, after many years of his own efforts in speaking up about environmental issues, “I am at last sensing a change in attitudes and the build-up of positive momentum”.