LONDON -- Prince Charles has told the U.N. climate change conference in Paris that delegates need to start "emergency procedures" to put the planet on "life support".
The future British monarch, who is outspoken about climate change, urged global leaders on Monday to "think of your grandchildren, as I think of mine."
"Your deliberations over the next two weeks will decide the fate not only of those alive today, but also of generations yet unborn," he said.
Prince Charles "We must act now. We have been waiting for too long!" #COP21 pic.twitter.com/5FKT5aDPaG— COP21 - Paris 2015 (@COP21) November 30, 2015
The prince used his keynote address to outline the challenges climate change presents, such as food security, extreme weather and the humanitarian crises created by mass migration and conflict. He said that climate change is the greatest threat humanity is facing.
Prince Charles delivered his short speech during the opening ceremony of the summit along with the U.N.'s climate chief Christiana Figueres and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius. More than 150 world leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, are in Paris for the conference.
As well as speaking about climate change, Prince Charles also paid tribute to the victims of the Nov. 13 Paris terror attacks in his speech.
Last week, Prince Charles spoke ahead of COP21, suggesting that environmental issues could have been a contributing factor to the civil war in Syria.