UPDATE - Britain's King Charles says climate change-related dangers are 'no longer distant risks'

ADDS STATEMENT BY UK ANTI-MONARCHY GROUP

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Britain's King Charles III expressed his hope on Friday that the COP28 will be "another critical turning point," saying dangers arising from climate change are no longer distant risks.

In his address during the opening of the COP28 summit in Dubai, Charles mentioned the loss of lives across the globe caused by climate change-related extreme weather events.

"I pray with all my heart that COP28 will be another critical turning point towards genuine transformational action at a time when, already, as scientists have been warning for so long, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached," said the king.

He noted that despite efforts to curb the negative effects of climate change, there is 30% more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now and almost 40% more methane.

"Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track as the Global Stocktake report demonstrates so graphically," added Charles.

Saying that "the dangers are no longer distant risks," he underlined that countless communities are "unable to withstand repeated shocks," whose lives and livelihoods are laid waste by climate change.

"Unless we rapidly repair and restore Nature's unique economy, based on harmony and balance, which is our ultimate sustainer, our own economy and survivability will be imperiled."

"Records are now being broken so often that we are perhaps becoming immune to what they are really telling us," he said, referring to the reports of temperature records.

King Charles underlined that everyone must work equally towards "being Naturepositive" as the world works towards a zero-carbon future.

"In your hands is an unmissable opportunity to keep our common hope alive," stressed Charles, urging the attending leaders to meet it with "ambition, imagination, and a true sense of the emergency we face."

He noted that harmony with nature "must be maintained," concluding: "The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth."

Heads of state and governments worldwide, as well as NGOs, businesses and civil societies, are gathering in the UAE at this year's UN climate change conference to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis.

- 'Climate change hypocrite'

Republic, the UK's anti-monarchy group, issued a statement that accused Charles of being a "climate change hypocrite," after his speech.

The group said Charles noted the rapid increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, however, he is "one of the largest private polluters" in the UK.

"Charles is playing at environmentalism, while churning out a huge carbon footprint with regular flights by helicopter and private jet, maintaining several huge homes and living a luxury, high-carbon lifestyle," the group’s CEO Graham Smith said in a statement.

Reiterating their demand for "an elected head of state," he noted that the country needs someone who can speak “sincerely and intelligently about the crisis facing the planet."

"Tackling climate change means tackling those who produce the biggest carbon footprints, which means the richest countries and the richest people," said Smith.

He added: "On the environment Charles should be in the dock, not on the witness stand."