Prince William champions indigenous voices amid climate crisis

Prince William continues to push for indigenous-led conversations amid the climate crisis.

During the early hours of Thursday, June 26, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Royal Foundation hosted a high-level roundtable at St James’s Palace, in partnership with United for Wildlife and Earthshot as part of London Climate Action Week.

Titled Nature’s Guardians: On the Road to Cop30 & Beyond, the discussion brought together Indigenous leaders, government officials, and environmental advocates — including Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples Sonia Guajajara — to spotlight the vital role of Indigenous communities in global conservation efforts.

"All life begins with nature," William, 43, said in his opening remarks. "Our forests, rivers, and the ocean are not just landscapes, they are the foundation of life on Earth."

The future king stressed the importance of placing Indigenous Peoples “at the centre” of environmental solutions, calling their stewardship “among the most effective forces for conservation.”

He also urged attendees to shift from pledges to action: “We must move from promises to action — grounded in respect, equity, and shared responsibility.”

The meeting comes a day ahead of the release of the final episode of Guardians, William’s docuseries highlighting the work of wildlife rangers and environmental defenders.

It also sets the stage for the prince’s upcoming visit to Brazil for COP30 in November, the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, where he will also announce this year’s Earthshot Prize winners.