The Duke of Cambridge shared his own view of the space race, in particular, Star Trek actor William Shatner’s flight on the board of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Prince William criticized the billionaire’s project, saying it detracts focus from addressing climate change here on our planet. This week, Shatner was announced the oldest person to reach space. The Star Trek actor is 90, and he is happy with such a ‘profound experience’.
The Hollywood veteran blasted off from Texas on a Blue Origin rocket – the space company owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire who founded Amazon corporation.
Commenting on the Texas event, Prince William said that people need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, “not trying to find the next place to go and live.”
Moreover, the upcoming UN climate conference requires some attention to the eco-problem. Prince William credited his late grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, for beginning the royal family’s interest in environmental issues by working with the World Wildlife Fund on its nature work and biodiversity.
“We can’t have more clever speak, clever words but not enough action,” father-of-three said.
He added his father Prince Charles “progressed that” and started talking about climate change “before anyone else thought it was a topic”.
Prince William explained his position saying that it “shouldn’t be that there’s a third-generation now coming along having to ramp it up even more”. The royal said he wanted generations to come to benefit from the outdoor life and nature he had enjoyed when he was growing up.
“If we’re not careful we’re robbing from our children’s future through what we do now,” he said. “And I think that’s not fair.”
The Duke of Cambridge’s Earthshot Prize is a £50mln initiative that aims to find solutions to climate change, with winners in five categories this year set to receive £1mln to develop their projects.
