Prince Charles urges rethink on how we build cities to help beat climate change

The heir to the throne has called for big changes to the way the majority of the world’s population live (Picture: Getty/Reuters)

Prince Charles has made an intervention in the climate debate ahead of the Cop26 summit.

The heir to the throne called for sustainable urban development to help gut greenhouse gasses.

The Prince of Wales, a who has long spoken out on environmental and conservation issues, said a change in lifestyles will be needed to cut emissions. 

He told the Daily Express: ‘Sustainable urban development is clearly critical in responding to the climate emergency.

‘We all know it’s so utterly and vitally important for the future of our planet and of course central, indeed absolutely fundamental I would have said, to any prospect of actually achieving the crucial Cop26 targets.’

Charles is due to give the opening address at the summit, which gets under way on Monday.

He is set to argue making cities more environmentally friendly will be a key component of global efforts to prevent out of control warming.

Around 70% of the world’s population will live in city areas by 2050, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

World leaders, protesters and artists alike have descended on Glasgow in the hope it can become the site of the world’s great climate change breakthrough(Picture: Getty)

The UK and other nations aim to be carbon neutral by that date, with other high polluters like China and Saudi Arabia targeting 2060.

Charles will not be joined at the summit by the Queen, as previously planned.

The 95-year-old monarch has been told to rest for a further two weeks after an unspecified health complaint led to an overnight stay in hospital.

She is said to be carrying out light duties from home and has appeared in pictures or video twice while working from Buckingham Palace.

Boris Johnson and the Queen spoke for the first time in around three weeks a few days ago.

WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 19: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson greet guests during a reception for international business and investment leaders at Windsor Castle to mark the Global Investment Summit on October 19, 2021 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Alastair Grant – Pool/Getty Images)

The prime minister revealed she was well and said the public must ‘respect’ the Queen’s need to relinquish some duties for a short period.

Speaking to ITV News in Rome, where he has travelled for a G20 meeting, Mr Johnson said: ‘I spoke to Her Majesty as I do every week as part of my job and she was on very good form.

‘She has been told by her doctors that she has got to rest and I think we have got to respect that and understand that and everybody wishes her all the very best.’

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