Prince Charles spoke today of his contempt for trying to raise environmental issues 50 years ago – saying ‘no one wanted to find out’ at the time.
The Prince of Wales described some as ‘completely dotted’ when he began talking about plastic pollution in the 1970s.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Four’s Today program, a guest edited by Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood, the royal heir also revealed intensive farming methods.
The Prince, 72, has called for a financial penalty for farmers who pollute the environment – saying it would help ‘get us on the right track’.
It also won special praise for the world’s indigenous population, which it said was the only organization that truly understood the danger facing the world as a result of climate change.
But The Prince said the world was waking up to need for change – something he said had come to light in recent years.
When asked about his level of support when speaking out on environmental issues in the 1970s, he said: ‘Well a lot if I can say that, but no one wanted to find out at the time. I think they thought I was completely dotty.
The Prince of Wales described some as ‘utterly disillusioned’ when he began talking about plastic pollution in the 1970s.
The royal heir says that overuse of chemicals, growth hormones and antibiotics in beef production (library image), as well as over-reliance on monocultural crop systems in agriculture, are damaging the environment
‘The problem is that I think as human beings, we tend to be distracted by new convenience technologies and I don’t think the impact of co-operation damage is being considered. side of those things. ‘
During the interview, led by acclaimed writer Ms Atwood, Prince Charles also struck out at ‘conventional’ intensive farming methods and said that farmers who pollute the environment should be made to pay.
The royal heir, who has run a 1,000-acre organic farm in Gloucestershire for the past 35 years, said using too many chemicals, growth hormones and antibiotics in beef production, as well as over-reliance on beef the mono-cultural crop systems in agriculture, damaging the environment.
In his interview with the novelist, The Prince of Wales (pictured with The Duchess of Cornwall) spoke of his interest in environmental issues.
He called for a ‘pollution payment system’ for farmers – something he believes will get us ‘on the right track’.
He said: ‘The reason I was drawn to it (organic farming) was largely because I was very worried about what I thought was the use of too many chemicals and artificial fertilizers, made by fossil fuels, overuse of antibiotics, overuse of growth stimulants. hormones in cow production and overuse of monocultural crop systems.
‘You have to remember that nature is not a monoculture, it is based on a system of great diversity.
So all of these things made me feel like there were tears if it went too far.
‘Of course the final irony is that our natural micro-organisms are inherent in many ways as a natural mirror of macro-bio, so farming in this conventional way too pollutes us as well as eco- nature ‘s own systems, which is why I have always felt that the polluter should pay.
‘If you introduced a corruption payment system it would start immediately to get on the right track.’
In his interview with the novelist, The Prince of Wales revealed that he became involved in environmental issues in the 1960s when he witnessed the ‘destruction’ of natural practices in the UK.
‘The fact that nothing was sacred was what really bothered me,’ he told Ms Atwood.
But The Prince said he had noticed a dramatic shift in crisis in the last 18 months when it came to environmental issues.
The Prince of Wales has held a special tribute to the indigenous peoples of the world. Pictured: Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall take part in a reception and indigenous traditional smoking at a reception at Government House in Adelaide, Australia in 2012
He said he had noticed the change while working on his Sustainable Markets Initiative – which was launched last year and something he described as a ‘broker’ between investors and opportunities sustainable investment.
He told BBC Radio 4: ‘Bit-by-bit we were hiring a few people to start understanding and guiding the path, but you could never get over the big one. -some of the obstacles, until I suddenly noticed in the last 18 months of that the approach has completely changed.
Suddenly people realize the crisis, the real crisis, the real crisis that lies ahead now. ‘
The Prince of Wales has held a special tribute to the world’s indigenous peoples, describing them as the group that truly understands the environmental threat facing the planet.
He said: ‘I have spoken to many First Nations leaders in Canada over the past year, and it is a long time since we have paid more attention to their wisdom, and to the wisdom of communities. indigenous and First Nations people all over the world.
‘We can learn so much from them as to how we can rewrite the balance and begin to rediscover a feeling of holiness because nature – Mother Nature – is our supporter, we are part of nature. We are nature. ‘
Prince Charles’ Council for Sustainable Markets aims to promote sustainable markets around the world with the help of companies, financial institutions and governments.
His campaign hopes to ‘find ways to quickly disarm the global economy and move it to sustainable markets’, Clarence House said earlier this year.