Coronavirus crisis shows world could take climate-change action, says UK's Prince Charles
“I am confident that we can use this crisis to reset our course by putting people and planet first”
Britain's Prince Charles said on Wednesday the urgent global response to the coronavirus showed how the world could tackle climate change, and that recovery from the disease presented a chance to create a more sustainable future.
In a statement to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the heir to the throne, long an environmental campaigner, likened the impact of coronavirus on the world's population with the effect human behaviour had had on the planet.
"If we look at the planet as if it were a patient, we can see that our activities have been damaging her immune system and she has been struggling to breathe and thrive due to the strain we have put on her vital organs," Charles said.
"I am confident that we can use this crisis to reset our course by putting people and planet first," he added.
The 71-year-old prince, who himself has recovered after suffering mild symptoms of Covid-19, has championed environmental causes for decades, warning that global warming and climate change were the greatest threats to humanity.