The King has co-written a Ladybird book about climate change to give children the “basic facts and figures” about the environmental threat facing the planet.
Charles met his co-author Natural England chair Tony Juniper when he hosted a reception for environment ministers from across the globe, after they attended a Government conference to drive forward the goals of the UN nature summit Cop15.
Mr Juniper, who was joined by Environment Secretary Therese Coffey and Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Scotland at the Buckingham Palace event, described the King’s convening power.
He said: “I think he is recognised as a distinguished leader on some of the most pressing subjects facing humanity and the fact of him being here today really underlines the importance of the subject matter and, I hope, will galvanise everyone to want to do even more in finding solutions.”
It's about the importance of young people being empowered— Tony Juniper, Natural England, co-author
Charles is a life-long champion of the environment who has penned several books about the subject and began the project, a rewriting of a 2017 climate change book aimed at adults, before he became King.
Mr Juniper said of Charles’s reasons for writing the book: “I think he’s been struck by the level of energy and passion shown by young people on these subjects, and was keen to put something into their hands which was about those basic facts and figures, basic ideas, but also with his personal message in there.”
The King is the lead author of the Ladybird Book of Climate Change written with climate scientist Dr Emily Shuckburgh and Mr Juniper, who has known Charles for more than 20 years, with an afterword penned by the monarch.
Mr Juniper said of Charles’s message at the end of the book, due to be published next month: “It’s about the importance of the subject matter, it’s about the importance of young people being empowered.
“It’s about the great sweep of history and facts and how we’ve come to see the world through a certain set of assumptions and how we need to change those.”
He added the book was updated and re-written from the earlier version for adults which had been penned by the three authors of the new children’s book.
It aims to make the subject of climate change accessible for seven to 11-year-olds “trying to bring the facts to the fingertips of the people who’ve got most to gain by finding solutions in time, namely the young people”, said Mr Juniper.
Among the guests at the Buckingham Palace event were business executives and indigenous leaders from across the globe with one placing a necklace made from seeds – symbolic of an alliance between the King and indigenous people – around the King’s neck.
Domingo Peas, an Amazonian indigenous leader, bestowed the gift on the King and said afterwards: “We want the King to be an intermediary for our people with the other countries.
“We want to give him an Amazonian crown to solidify the King’s alliance in solidarity with indigenous people.”
