King Charles III and Donald Trump have starkly opposing views on climate change, with Charles advocating for environmental action and Trump actively undermining it. The king's upcoming visit to Washington is expected to highlight these differences, particularly in his speech to Congress.
Key points
King Charles III advocates for climate action.
Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from climate agreements.
The king's visit to Washington will address environmental issues.
There is a significant clash in climate views between the UK and US.
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King Charles IIIDonald Trump
Of the many clashes in worldview between King Charles III and Donald Trump, the greatest is on an issue the White House has sought to silence: the future of the planet.
The royal visit to Washington will be no exception. The Guardian understands the king will not be silent on green issues, despite concerns within the British government, and sources say the king is likely to touch on the environment in public as well as private. Civil society groups have been in touch with the palace over the potential inclusion of references to the climate and nature in the king’s speech to Congress on Tuesday afternoon.
There is little common ground between the UK and the US on the climate and environment, and the UK response has been to try to work around the problem in international forums, rather than force a showdown.
Q&A
What are King Charles III's views on climate change?
King Charles III has been an advocate for environmental action for over 50 years, urging better guardianship of nature and strong climate action.
How has Donald Trump responded to climate issues?
Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from international climate agreements, halted renewable energy progress, and promoted fossil fuel use.
What is expected during King Charles III's visit to Washington?
During his visit, King Charles III is likely to address climate issues in both public and private settings, including a speech to Congress.
How do the UK and US differ in their climate policies?
The UK and US have little common ground on climate policies, with the UK seeking to navigate around the challenges posed by the US government's stance.
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Charles is said to be skilled at broaching the subject in diplomatic ways, which he is likely to attempt with the US president and other prominent members of US government and business. “The king loves the natural world and understands that everything we have depends utterly on it,” said Ben Goldsmith, the longtime environmental advocate and former chair of the Conservative Environment Network. “So I’d be amazed if he doesn’t raise the topic with President Trump.”
As well as expressing his own longstanding views, the king would be reflecting those of his nation, said Robbie MacPherson, a Kennedy scholar at Harvard University and the former head of the UK parliament’s all-party group on climate. “People across the UK have chosen that a clean energy transition is their desired road to the future. The king should represent that view to foreign leaders, including those who think that rolling back on environment and clean energy action is the correct course,” he said.
Will the president listen? Going by previous experience, it seems unlikely, according to Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton White House climate adviser now with the American University. “Sadly, King Charles would be wasting his breath bringing up climate with Trump, but one hopes he features climate action prominently as an issue critical to public safety and global security.”
Goldsmith said conservatives in the US had a “long and rich history of protecting America’s natural treasures”, and Trump’s political hero Teddy Roosevelt was the father of the US national park system. “Today, the states doing most for wildlife are arguably Florida and Texas, both of which are securing large areas of land for rewilding and permanent protection. If Trump wants to “make America beautiful again”, which is the name of one of his recent pronouncements, some focus on nature would seem an obvious move.”
MacPherson was also more hopeful, though for different reasons. “Across America, the clean energy transition and action to protect nature is happening,” he said. “A temporary shift in federal government delivery and blocking should not stop the long-lasting green special relationship shared between the UK and the US.”
