William puts flood-hit Welsh town in COP spotlight

Prince William spoke on behalf of the UK government and his father, the King, at the climate summit in Belem, Brazil

The Prince of Wales has put the plight of a flood-ravaged town in south Wales at the heart of his message to world leaders gathered in Brazil for the COP30 summit.

Prince William said he was "deeply moved" by the resilience of the people in Pontypridd, whom he met with Catherine, Princess of Wales in February after devastating flooding caused by Storm Darragh.

"One resident told me how the river that once brought life to the town had become a source of fear," he said, in a high-profile speech given in the city of Belem, in the heart of the Amazon.

The prince called for "courage, co-operation and unwavering commitment" to tackle the climate crisis, warning of a "critical tipping point" ahead.

"We must ask ourselves, what legacy do we wish to leave?" said Prince William, who was joined by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the annual climate summit.

The prince warned humanity was edging towards the "Earth's critical tipping points", citing "the melting of polar ice, the loss of the Amazon, the disruption of ocean currents".

"These are not distant threats," he said.

"They are fast-approaching and will affect every one of us, no matter where we live."

In Pontypridd, earlier this year, the prince said he and the princess met "families who had lost their homes, their possessions, and their sense of security".

"Their resilience was deeply moving.

"It was also a powerful reminder that climate change is not a distant threat," he said.

"It is affecting lives across the UK, and across the world - from small towns to major cities, from coastal communities to inland regions.

"No corner of the globe will be unaffected."

Homes and businesses in Pontypridd, and the surrounding region of Rhondda Cynon Taf, are frequently flooded, including during Storm Bert a year ago

The royal couple spoke to people in Pontypridd affected by flooding, when they visited in February this year

Sir Keir spoke directly after Prince William, challenging climate sceptics with a promise to double-down on net zero, while acknowledging the "consensus is gone" among international partners on the issue of climate change.

The Prime Minister staunchly defended the UK government's clean energy agenda, but conceded that cross-party unity on science "that is unequivocal" has splintered, both in Britain and globally.

Many leaders from the world's largest nations – India, Russia, US and China - are notably absent from this year's summit.

The prince joined in a triple handshake with Sir Keir Starmer and the Brazilian president, with whom he also had a bilateral meeting

After Thursday's speech, the prince posed for a picture with Brazil's president, Lula, and Sir Keir, laughing as they brought their hands together in a triple handshake, and walking off the stage in unison.

The speech at COP30 was Prince William's highest-profile public address to date, speaking on behalf of the UK government and his father, King Charles, with whom he shared the contents of his address before his departure for Brazil.

"I grew up with my father – the King – talking about the power of nature and the importance of harmony in the natural world," he said. "A subject he has championed for over five decades.

"It is a privilege to also represent him here today, as well as everyone else who has championed this cause, for so many years."

The prince also praised as "visionary" a Brazilian-led fund for rainforests – seen as key to the UN Cop30 climate summit, but which the British Government has said it will not currently invest in, ahead of the Budget later this month.

William met a group of young Brazilian leaders from the British Council's next generation programme, and was given a bottle of perfume

King Charles has take a keen interest in his son, Prince William's, environmental work

Prince William's five-day trip to Brazil, his first to the country, included awarding the Earthshot Prize in Rio de Janeiro, on Wednesday

"When we unite behind shared purpose, we can scale and accelerate solutions that transcend borders," he told delegates at COP30.

"Solutions that give us hope, and fill us with optimism, for the future."

He went on to talk about one of the Earthshot Prize finalists, as he called for unity in the fight for climate change.

"Brazil's proposal for the Tropical Forests Forever fund is a visionary step toward valuing nature's role in climate stability. That is why it was an Earthshot Prize finalist this year.

"The initiative recognises that climate and nature must be addressed together – not in silos, but in synergy.

"The science is clear – we must go further if we are to secure a liveable future for all. And we must go together.

"The time for partnership, protection, and progress is now.

"We know what is at stake. We know what must be done. And we know that no country, no community, no individual can do it alone."