"His intentions may be noble, but that's hardly good enough."
"When Queen Elizabeth II died September 2022, her son Charles III became the new king of England. Immediately, headlines advised on how he could brand himself as the climate king. Publications lauded him as the potential “activist king” or recalled his works as the “climate prince.”
It’s true that, compared to other public figures or wealthy celebrities, Charles has a pretty impressive resume of caring about the environment. He’s been championing environmental causes since the 1970s and has been touting crunchy practices like composting for decades. In 2021, as Charles was traveling to the UN climate summit, the Washington Post branded him “the 21st century’s first eco-king.”
But Charles III is not your climate king. He is a wealthy man who takes private jets and was born into a rich ruling family. He’s now the figurehead of a nation facing rising income inequality and more risks and deaths from climate change-related extreme weather. Any actions he’ll take on climate as king will be cosmetic, at best. His job as royalty will be to maintain the status quo—which is the last thing we need as the world keeps getting hotter."
Angely Mercado reports for Earther May 6, 2023.
SEE ALSO:
"The Green King: Charles the Environmentalist" (AFP)
"The Many Paradoxes Of Charles III As ‘Climate King’" (Washington Post)
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