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Prince William reveals what keeps him up at night

The Duke of Cambridge spoke frankly on the Outrage + Optimism podcast


william podcast
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
On 23 October 2020
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The Duke of Cambridge has revealed what keeps him awake at night as he appeared on a podcast on Friday, to talk about his global environmental project The Earthshot Prize.

Speaking on the Outrage + Optimism podcast, Prince William said he gets "outraged by the inaction" on climate change, adding: "That's probably a bit of a cliche but that is what I get most troubled about. Especially as I'm in a position of responsibility if you like, or leadership. I feel I can do a lot more if given that ability.

“So therefore, I don't understand why those who have the levers, don't. I think that's what really upsets me and keeps me awake at night."

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WATCH: Prince William speaks passionately about a cause close to his heart

He also revealed that while growing up, he did "feel that tackling things negatively was the way to go forwards…but actually it doesn't work."

While the Duke acknowledged that people should call out things that are wrong, he has found that a positive approach and optimism has worked better.

"The message when I went to China and talked to the Chinese government about trying to tackle the illegal wildlife trade was very much a case of, how about you guys being the global leaders in conservation? You can take on that mantle and you can really drive it forwards," he said.

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The Earthshot Prize council 

"And it's a much easier conversation to have with someone and it's not about getting out of a hard conversation – I'm very happy to have hard conversations - but an easy conversation where they can see what you’re getting at, they understand the consequences. 

"At the end of the day, the vast majority of people, if they are presented with the science and the facts, they want to do the right thing. No one wants to do the wrong thing. 

"And I think you have got to give people the opportunity to see the potential and the way forwards."

The future king launched his £50 million Earthshot Prize earlier this month, which aims to recognise solutions, ideas and technologies that "repair the planet".

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william environment© Photo: Getty Images

William is passionate about conservation and environmental issues

Outrage + Optimism is a weekly podcast which has featured guests from Swedish activist Greta Thunberg to US politician John Kerry.

It is co-hosted by ex-UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, political strategist Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson, the founder of environmental charity CDP.

With his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his father, the Prince of Wales, both being long-term advocates for the environment, William said: “I think my family has naturally had an opportunity here to support and to be a part of the environmental debate for a long time because it's been at the forefront of a lot of conversations and a lot of issues for many, many years and people have talked about it for a long, long time.

"But we need the action now and that's what these next ten years is about."

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