The Prince of Wales is set to attend the Cop30 UN climate summit in Brazil next month, according to sources. Prince William will present the Earthshot Prize and participate in the meeting of over 190 governments in Belém. His attendance has been welcomed by environmental experts as a means to draw global attention and galvanise talks.
Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of Futerra consultancy, described the prince's involvement as a 'stunt' but a positive one, noting that Cop summits rely on optics as much as negotiations. She suggested his presence could encourage other leaders to commit and boost media coverage. King Charles, who has attended previous Cops, will not be present at this summit.
Gareth Redmond-King of the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit called the prince's attendance a 'good thing', highlighting the need for high-profile figures to support challenging climate negotiations. He noted that King Charles, as Prince of Wales, played a similar role at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has yet to confirm his attendance, drawing criticism from former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former Irish President Mary Robinson. Ban emphasised that world leaders must attend Cop30 as a test of leadership, urging stronger commitments and adaptation finance. 'The world is watching, and history will remember who showed up,' he said.
