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| Photo Credit: AP. |
LONDON (AP) — Prince William delivered his first speech as heir to the British throne at a wildlife protection summit Tuesday, signaling that the royal family will continue to champion environmental causes as King Charles III is forced to step back from front-line campaigning.
William
delivered the keynote speech at the United for Wildlife global summit in
London, addressing some 300 representatives of law enforcement agencies,
conservation groups and corporations that are working to combat the trade in
illegal wildlife products, which is estimated at $20 billion annually.
The prince
and his Royal Foundation created United for Wildlife in 2014 to protect
endangered species from the illegal trade in goods such as elephant ivory and
rhinoceros horn. Working with organizations that target money laundering and
other forms of organized crime, the group says it has trained over 100,000
people and contributed to some 250 arrests and 200 seizures of illegal animal
products around the world.
The natural
world is a gift everyone should protect, William told the gathering.
“It is a
lesson I learnt from a young age, from my father and my grandfather, both
committed naturalists in their own right, and also from my much-missed
grandmother, who cared so much for the natural world,” he said, referring to
Charles and the late Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II. “In times of loss,
it is a comfort to honor those we miss through the work we do.”
William
cited the recent conviction of a 49-year-old man on wildlife trafficking
charges as an example of the way agencies are working across borders to tackle
the problem.
Moazu
Kromah, a citizen of Liberia, conspired with two other men to smuggle about 190
kilograms (419 pounds) of rhino horns and 10 tons of ivory from various East
African nations to buyers in the U.S. and Southeast Asia from 2012 to 2019,
according to the U.S. Justice Department. Around 35 rhinos and 100 elephants
are likely to have been poached to supply this weight of material, the
department said.
Kromah, 49,
was extradited to New York from Uganda in 2019. He pled guilty to three
wildlife trafficking charges earlier this year and was sentenced to 63 months
in jail.
The
conviction was the result of cooperation between authorities in Uganda and
Kenya, as well as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department said.
But despite
such successes, violent criminals continue to poach because of the huge profits
in illegal wildlife trafficking, William said. Anton Mzimba, a wildlife ranger
who was shot to death outside his home in South Africa earlier this year, is
believed to have been one of their victims.
“Anton
dedicated himself to the protection of wildlife, undertaking his role
diligently and professionally despite threats to his life,” the prince said.
“He stood up to violent criminals and paid the ultimate price. It is only right
that we pay tribute to him and all the other selfless rangers and frontline
conservationists here today.”
William’s
speech came less than a month after he took on the role of heir to the throne
as his father, now King Charles III, became monarch following the death of
Queen Elizabeth II. The choice of venue demonstrates that environmental
protection will remain a royal priority, even though Charles is likely to step
back from an issue he has championed for 50 years.
Under the
rules that govern Britain’s constitutional monarchy, the sovereign is barred
from interfering in political issues. To ensure she complied with these rules,
Elizabeth assiduously kept her opinions to herself throughout her long reign.
While
Charles has acknowledged he will have to be more careful with his public
statements now that he is king, he has also made clear that he planned to pass
on the baton.
“It will no
longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the
charities and issues for which I care so deeply,” the new king said in his
first address to the nation. “But I know this important work will go on in the
trusted hands of others.”
William’s
own commitment to the environment was on display last summer when he spoke
during an internationally televised concert held outside Buckingham Palace to
celebrate the late queen’s 70 years on the throne.
With images
of a lush, green jungle projected on the walls of the palace behind him,
William called for international cooperation in combating climate change.
“Together,
if we harness the very best of humankind, and restore our planet, we will
protect it for our children, for our grandchildren and for future generations
to come,” he said.