How dangerous are we actually prepared to make our world? King Charles warns world leaders ‘the Earth does not belong to us’ and calls for nations to work together to battle climate change in speech as he addresses Cop28 summit in Dubai today

The King told world leaders today that 'the hopes of the world rest on the decisions you must make' as he addressed the Cop28 eco-summit in Dubai today.

He is the only foreign head of state invited to speak at the climate action meeting of world leaders, celebrating his decades of environmental work.

In his speech, His Majesty told delegates: “I pray with all my heart that Cop28 will be a crucial turning point towards real transformational action.”

But he also warned that while progress has been made towards a more sustainable future, repeated warning signs of the impact of climate change – especially in vulnerable regions of the Commonwealth – are being ignored.

The king said this could have devastating consequences as “lives and livelihoods are destroyed.”

Speaking to heads of state and climate delegates at Expo City Dubai, Charles said: 'Eight years ago I was most moved when I was asked to speak at the opening of Cop21 in Paris, which of course culminated in the Paris Agreement; a milestone of hope and optimism, in which countries put aside their differences for the common good.

“I pray with all my heart that Cop28 will be another critical turning point towards truly transformational action at a time when, as scientists have long warned, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached.

'I have spent much of my life trying to warn about the existential threats we face from global warming, climate change and biodiversity loss.

'But I wasn't the only one. For example, Sheikh Mohamed's dear father, Sheikh Zayed, advocated clean energy at a time before the United Arab Emirates came into being as such.

'All these decades later, and despite all the attention, there is now 30% more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than then, and almost 40% more methane.

“Important progress has been made, but I am deeply concerned that we remain so terribly far off track, as the global stocktake report so graphically demonstrates.”

Unlike the King, who is a staunch environmentalist, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is backtracking on his green promises. Mr Sunak will attend along with the new Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, who spent time with the King yesterday.

Aides said His Majesty “deeply appreciates” the invitation, which came from the UAE as host country and at the request of the British government.

The king told Lord Cameron: 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world' as he met students at a campus in Dubai.

Later, he received a handmade decorated wooden bird as a gift from indigenous tribes in Brazil, a symbol of biodiversity. Joenia Wapichana said: 'I thanked him for everything he has done to help protect biodiversity in the Amazon.'

King Charles III speaks during an opening ceremony at the COP28 UN climate summit

King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and King Charles III attend the opening ceremony of the World Climate Action Summit during COP28

King Charles III greets King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan in Dubai this morning

But when it comes to news that could leave green campaigners red-faced, Cop28 is probably the biggest and most polluting event of its kind, according to official figures.

The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the event will exceed previous gatherings due to the large number of attendees, experts said.

More than 104,000 official delegates will attend the summit – and an estimated 400,000 more will attend related events in the United Arab Emirates.

The vast majority of visitors to the oil and gas-rich Gulf country will arrive by plane – so the amount of emissions produced is likely to be smaller than in previous years.

Scientists calculate that a commercial return flight to Dubai from Britain will generate around 1.3 tonnes of CO2 – and a private jet more than nine times as much per passenger.

In his speech, His Majesty is expected to tell delegates: 'I pray with all my heart that Cop28 will be a crucial turning point towards real transformational action'

However, climate experts say the huge amounts of greenhouse gases generated by the event will be worth it if it helps slow global warming by pushing countries to reduce their emissions.

Richard Black from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said: 'Given the number of people expected here, this is likely to have the highest carbon footprint of any COP to date.

'But the size of that footprint is absolutely insignificant compared to the emission reductions that a deal can deliver. If all the agreements made at the Glasgow summit two years ago were realised, it would save 70,000 times more carbon than the summit itself produced.

'And in this regard, the biggest element of a deal on the table – the agreement to triple renewable energy deployment by 2030 – would prevent 7 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions this decade, equivalent to around 20 years of UK emissions.'

A Cop28 spokesperson said: 'Cop28 will demonstrate its sustainability ambition by hosting a carbon-conscious and sustainable event.'