Prince William says he is telling his children that their future “will be as bright as the one that’s gone” thanks to scientists working to fix the world’s climate.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, William, who was in Brazil ahead of the COP30 climate summit to announce the finalists for the prestigious Earthshot Prize, said young people need to know climate “solutions” that give them hope for the future.
“The fear of climate change is real. You hear about it everywhere you go right now, and many young people are saying, ‘Well, what kind of planet are we going to inherit?'” the prince said at an event in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. “We need to listen to the opinions of the younger generation more.”
Prince William said he was happy to tell the story of his children, Prince George, 12, and Prince George. Princess Charlotte, 10 years old. And Prince Louis, 7, said progress was being made on climate change, thanks in part to work supported by the Earthshot Prize.
“Especially for my children, I want to say to them when they go to bed knowing that the planet is healthier and better because of the talented people in this room: ‘It’s going to be great. Your future will be as bright as the one that’s gone,'” he said.
The Earthshot Prize will award five winners with grants of £1 million ($1.3 million) to help fund their environmental work. This year’s finalists include everything from a company that developed a filter for microplastics to a company that built an upcycled skyscraper. The winner will be announced later Wednesday.
William stressed that the Earthshot Prize, which was launched five years ago, is not just a “philanthropic endeavor”, but aims to support the development of “commercial products that improve lives”.
While in Brazil, the prince will also address COP30, which begins on Monday in the northern city of Belem in the Amazon region.
The timing of the meeting means the line of succession to the British throne is isolated from the fallout from his father King Charles III’s decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his princely title over his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
When asked by Amanpour about recent “changes” in his family, William did not directly answer.
Instead, he praised the Earthshot Prize as a positive example of “change” and said he wanted to surround himself with “people who want to make a difference and do good in the world.”
