The Prince of Wales attends the G20 Summit, Rome

Today, at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, The Prince of Wales attended the G20 Summit in Rome.

The G20 Summit addresses major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development.

At La Nuvola conference centre, His Royal Highness addressed the Summit:

"As you know, listening is often more important than speaking and I have listened closely to leaders of many countries, particularly Commonwealth nations, whose communities are some of the most climate–vulnerable on this Earth.  It is also impossible not to hear the despairing voices of young people who see you, Ladies and Gentlemen, as the stewards of the planet, holding the viability of their future in your hands."

We must now translate fine words into still finer actions.  And as the enormity of the climate challenge dominates peoples’ conversations, from news rooms to living rooms, and as the future of humanity and Nature herself are at stake, it is surely time to set aside our differences and grasp this unique opportunity to launch a substantial green recovery by putting the global economy on a confident, sustainable trajectory and, thus, save our planet. 

Read HRH's speech in full here.

Later, The Prince joined CEOs from the Sustainable Market Initiative’s (SMI) Fashion Taskforce to launch the new Digital ID, which will act as a virtual certificate to inform customers of the sustainability credentials of their purchase - telling its story from manufacture through use, resale, reuse and recycling.

The SMI is made up of more than 300 CEOs and its mission is to unlock the commitment and potential of business to deliver solutions for the global climate crisis.

Speaking ahead of the SMI Fashion Event, His Royal Highness has said:

Fashion is one of the most polluting sectors in the world, but this new Digital ID shows how business is committed to meaningful, measurable change: providing customers with the information they need to make cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable choices. It shows that business doesn’t just talk about these issues, but has taken action.