Last night, HRH The Prince of Wales made a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the High Level part of the UNFCCC Climate Conference in Copenhagen, speaking alongside UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai.

In his speech, The Prince highlighted that the future of mankind can only be assured if a consensus is forged on how to integrate economic development with a real understanding of the ecological carrying capacity of the planet. Stressing the urgency of the situation, HRH said, "If we are to avoid the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate change, then we must act now. For climate change is a risk-multiplier. It has the potential to take all the other critical issues we face as a global community and transform their severity into a cataclysm... In our increasingly precarious situation – on a small, unique and precious planet – this is not a problem resolvable in terms of 'them and us.' We are all in it together, not only because we share a common humanity, but because we are all connected, one to the other."

Using the success of The Prince's Rainforests Project as a key example, The Prince advocated solutions based upon a public, private and NGO sector partnership. "I am convinced it is through these kinds of global partnerships – between Government, business, N.G.O.s, civil society and even individuals – that we can help provide the global solutions we need to secure our future. If an effective and globally equitable deal can be agreed, it will create the conditions for transformational change in our global economy and deliver the economic signals that companies need if they are to invest billions of dollars in low carbon products, services, technologies and infrastructure."

In his closing statement, The Prince left us with a poignant thought," As our planet’s life-support system begins to fail and our very survival as a species is brought into question, remember that our children and grandchildren will ask not what our generation said, but what it did. Let us give an answer of which we can be proud."

Watch the video of The Prince of Wales' speech on YouTube

Download transcript of the speech (PDF format)