Prince William convened a high-level roundtable at St James’s Palace this morning, bringing together government leaders and Indigenous representatives to discuss the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in protecting nature ahead of Cop30.
The event, titled Nature’s Guardians: On the Road to Cop30 & Beyond, was organised by United for Wildlife in partnership with Earthshot as part of London Climate Action Week.
The discusion dovetails with the upcoming release of the final episode of William’s docuseries, Guardians.
It focuses on the work of wildlife rangers and others who commit themselves to protecting endangered species and the environment around them.
The Prince of Wales has also recently announced he will attend The Earthshot Prize ceremony in Brazil later this year.
Prince William sat down with global leaders and indigenous representatives at Nature’s Guardians: On the Road to COP30 & Beyond.
Kensington Palace
The Prince delivered opening remarks emphasising the urgent need to place Indigenous Peoples at the centre of global conservation efforts, recognising their stewardship as “among the most effective forces for conservation”.
“All life begins with nature. Our forests, rivers, and the ocean are not just landscapes, they are the foundation of life on Earth,” William said in his opening remarks.
“We are here today not only to recognise this truth, but to act on it with urgency and purpose,” he continued.
The Prince stressed that Indigenous Peoples and local communities “must be central to the effort as partners, leaders, and co-creators of solutions” if climate and biodiversity goals are to be achieved.
William highlighted the urgent need to work with indigenous communities as part of conservation efforts.
Kensington Palace
He called for increased direct support for community-led efforts, stating: “We must move from promises to action – grounded in respect, equity, and shared responsibility.”
William argued this therefore required “direct support for community-led efforts, and learning from those who know these ecosystems best.”
The Prince insisted: “Nature is not seen as a resource to be extracted, but as something sacred – to live with, respect, and sustain.”
Key attendees at the roundtable included Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples Sonia Guajajara, whose conservation work features in the final episode of the Guardians series premiering tonight.
William spoke with Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples Sonia Guajajara and Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, at the event.
Kensington Palace
The Cop30 President, André Corrêa do Lago, and Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, also delivered remarks at the event.
Representatives from Brazilian and Norwegian ministries joined the discussions, alongside philanthropic institutions and Indigenous community leaders.
William specifically highlighted Guajajara’s presence, describing her as someone whose “incredible work” exemplifies the themes being addressed at the roundtable.
The gathering brought together what organisers described as a coalition of stakeholders committed to advancing Indigenous-led conservation efforts.
William declared a ‘moment of courage’ ahead of his trip to Brazil later this year.
Kensington Palace
The roundtable aimed to advance what William called “a new wave of ambition” in supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts ahead of Cop30 in Belém.
As founder of United for Wildlife, the Prince convened the group to discuss progress and spotlight urgent solutions to climate change and nature loss challenges.
William emphasised the need for “greater ambition and deeper collaboration” as momentum builds towards the Brazilian climate summit.
“This is a moment for courage. We are not starting from zero,” he declared.
The Prince of Wales concluded his remarks by urging attendees to move forward “united in purpose and committed to protecting nature as the foundation for a just and healthy future for all.”
