"The world has a climate king.

When Prince Charles became King Charles III on Thursday after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, his decadeslong crusades to elevate environmental protection ascended to the throne with him.

Charles gave his first speech on the topic in 1970, revealing an interest that has evolved over the past half-century. He has used his public persona to advocate for forest, soil, ocean and biodiversity conservation and has pushed businesses to invest in programs to preserve and value nature.

“[King] Charles has demonstrated a very long-lasting and extremely deep knowledge of the impact of human activities on the environment,” said Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change in London. “In many ways, he has been ahead of politicians in his appreciation and concern for the issue.”"

Sara Schonhardt reports for E&E News September 9, 2022. [2]