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Prince William has told actress Cate Blanchett of his ‘stubborn optimism’ that the climate crisis can be halted and how he wants to see more women at the helm of the solutions.
While speaking with the starlet in a new podcast, the future King seemed to echo his father Charles’ warnings regarding the imminent environmental catastrophe.
William said he believes that ‘huge strides’ can be made in tackling environmental problems through ‘game changing’ initiatives such as his Earthshot Prize, which will award five £1million prizes annually over the next decade to individuals, charities, companies and even countries spearheading practical ways to save the planet.
In a candid moment of reflection, he also recalled how he “spent hours climbing tree while growing up”,
Blanchett stated that he seemed ‘quite optimistic’ that we might be able ‘work out of what appears to be a crise’. William responded by quoting ChristianaFigueres, chairperson of Earthshot’s board, and saying he felt like an ‘inflexible optimist’.
He said, “She’s given to me a lot hope that this can be happen and I believe it, as I’m seeing it with mine own eyes.” It’s so inspiring and hopeful. I believe we can make big strides.
Undated handout photo from Kensington Palace of the Duke and Duke of Cambridge (centre), with Danny Kelly & Cate Blanchett
Prince William told Cate Blanchett about his’stubborn optimism,’ that the climate crisis can still be stopped, and how he would like to see more women at helm of solutions
“I believe it can be done in a much shorter time than we expect because the solutions exist. These problems have real solutions.
“What I’d love to personally see is more women-led and indigenous community-led solutions.
Blanchett, a member of Earthshot Prize Council, and Danny Kennedy, climate entrepreneur, spoke to the Climate of Change podcast hosted by Audible. William said that his appreciation of nature was ‘piqued” by watching David Attenborough programmes, as well his grandfather’s ‘passion for the countryside’.
He shared his childhood memories of growing up in the ‘wild and wet’, including climbing trees and digging ditches.
The duke travelled to the Bahamas last month where he visited the winners of the revive our oceans category – the Coral Vita project which grows coral on land to replant in oceans, giving new life to dying marine habitat.
When asked about his interest for the natural world, he replied that Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries had shown him that there was a broader world out there to explore when he grew up.
He said: “And I think that my grandfather, and my father, both kinda having a deep fascination and passion in this field for many years has kind of piqued me interest and my curiosity.
“So growing up, I was surrounded with a sense of adventure and the desire to explore and be out in the gardens. I spent hours climbing trees and digging ditches. I also used to hide in dens around the garden.
“So I used love being out in wild and the wet.
During the program, he spoke of how a trip to Kenya as a teenager really gave him first-hand experience of the kind of problems the natural world now faces on a global level.
“To understand what’s going down,” he said on the show, “is pretty mind-blowing… How can we possibly fix it?”
The Prince spoke later with Cate, Cate’s podcast host and environmental activist Danny Kennedy about innovative ways to protect cities such as Sydney and London from rising seas.
Prince William stated that the science behind a new idea called ‘living Seawalls’ was simple and efficient.
The concept involves using panels on sea walls in order to mimic natural habitat – like rock pools and mangrove roots.
Dr Katie Duffoon, from the Sydney Institute of Marine, was a finalist for the Earthshot Prize in the ‘Living Seawalls’ technology.
Blanchett, a member of Earthshot Prize Council, has been commissioned to produce a second season of the six-episode Climate of Change podcast.
Prince William recalls being inspired by the documentary’s from naturalist David Attenborough as a child and spending hours ‘playing in a garden’. Pictured in September 1995, with her late mother Princess Diana and her brother Prince Harry
Prince approved: Prince William said that the science involved in a new idea, ‘living seawalls,’ was simple and effective to protect cities from rising sea levels
Cate, an Earthshot Prize Council Member has been commissioned to create another season of the six episode Climate of Change podcast.
The inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony, which took place at Alexandra Palace in London, was held last October.
The ceremony saw £1million in prize money presented to each of the five category winners – protect and restore nature; clean our air; revive our oceans; build a waste-free world; and fix our climate – and organisers have said if their ideas are realised by 2030 it would improve life for all.
William stated that many of the winners have already seen success with their projects.
He stated that he would like to see the Australian Living Sea Walls project brought to the UK, and established in the Thames.
The company incorporates ecologically-friendly principles into existing and new constructions that can have significant biodiversity advantages.
Sydney already has a 36% increase of species in and around its new structures than plain, unmodified shorewalls. There are as many as 85 species living and growing on the panels, including invertebrates, seaweeds, and fish.
He stated that they did a “fantastic job” and that the science behind it was simple but effective.
