Milliband attacks Prince for flying to collect green award in New York
Milliband attacks Prince for flying to collect green award in New YorkPhilip Webster, Political Editor
Accusation of 'green hypocrisy' Charles cancels flight to Klosters
David Miliband has made a rare ministerial criticism of the Prince of Wales for planning a 7,000-mile round trip to New York to collect an environ- mental award. The Environment Secretary questioned in an interview with the Evening Standard why it was necessary for the Prince to go in person with a big entourage to collect the award. He said: “Was it a particularly heavy award? A lot of business can be done by telephone and video link these days.”
Green campaigners have accused the Prince of “green hypocrisy” over the trip. They said that the Prince should stay at home and accept his Global Environmental Citizen prize from Al Gore, the previous holder, via video link.
Joss Garman, of Plane Stupid, a climate change action group, said: “Flying to an environmental award ceremony is a bit like turning up to an Oxfam award ceremony in a stretch limo. Flying is the single most polluting way in which you can travel.”
Siân Berry, a spokeswoman for the Green Party, said: “The Prince said only three months ago that climate change was mankind’s greatest challenge. I am disappointed to see that, much like Tony Blair, his recognition of the threat posed by climate change does not extend to toning down his personal flying habits.”
The Prince and his party are expected to make the two-day trip to Philadelphia and New York by scheduled flights rather than chartered aircraft.
He has promised that in the summer, when he publishes his annual report of his year’s activities, he will detail the steps that his household has taken to reduce its environmental impact. It was reported last night that the Prince had cancelled his annual skiing trip to Klosters to try to reduce his carbon footprint. The decision was apparently made before the criticism by Mr Miliband.
A Clarence House spokesman declined to comment on the Environment Secretary’s remarks, but said: “The award ceremony is only one engagement in a visit being undertaken at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to emphasise the importance which the UK Government places on climate change.” He said that the Prince had nine engagements on the trip and had been invited by civic authorities to talk about youth development, urban regeneration and environmental services.
The American weekend is an extra item in his diary on top of his regular spring overseas tour, details of which have not yet been announced. Travel costs for the visit, which counts as an official engagement, will be met by the taxpayer. It comes 14 months after the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall last visited the US and four months before the Queen undertakes a state visit there in May.
Aides insisted that they would book only 20 seats if they were to travel on a scheduled flight. That means that the Prince and his entourage would take up all of first class and about six seats in club class.
The use of scheduled flights, rather than charter aircraft, stems from plans to be more ecofriendly
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2556707,00.html
Accusation of 'green hypocrisy' Charles cancels flight to Klosters
David Miliband has made a rare ministerial criticism of the Prince of Wales for planning a 7,000-mile round trip to New York to collect an environ- mental award. The Environment Secretary questioned in an interview with the Evening Standard why it was necessary for the Prince to go in person with a big entourage to collect the award. He said: “Was it a particularly heavy award? A lot of business can be done by telephone and video link these days.”
Green campaigners have accused the Prince of “green hypocrisy” over the trip. They said that the Prince should stay at home and accept his Global Environmental Citizen prize from Al Gore, the previous holder, via video link.
Joss Garman, of Plane Stupid, a climate change action group, said: “Flying to an environmental award ceremony is a bit like turning up to an Oxfam award ceremony in a stretch limo. Flying is the single most polluting way in which you can travel.”
Siân Berry, a spokeswoman for the Green Party, said: “The Prince said only three months ago that climate change was mankind’s greatest challenge. I am disappointed to see that, much like Tony Blair, his recognition of the threat posed by climate change does not extend to toning down his personal flying habits.”
The Prince and his party are expected to make the two-day trip to Philadelphia and New York by scheduled flights rather than chartered aircraft.
He has promised that in the summer, when he publishes his annual report of his year’s activities, he will detail the steps that his household has taken to reduce its environmental impact. It was reported last night that the Prince had cancelled his annual skiing trip to Klosters to try to reduce his carbon footprint. The decision was apparently made before the criticism by Mr Miliband.
A Clarence House spokesman declined to comment on the Environment Secretary’s remarks, but said: “The award ceremony is only one engagement in a visit being undertaken at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to emphasise the importance which the UK Government places on climate change.” He said that the Prince had nine engagements on the trip and had been invited by civic authorities to talk about youth development, urban regeneration and environmental services.
The American weekend is an extra item in his diary on top of his regular spring overseas tour, details of which have not yet been announced. Travel costs for the visit, which counts as an official engagement, will be met by the taxpayer. It comes 14 months after the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall last visited the US and four months before the Queen undertakes a state visit there in May.
Aides insisted that they would book only 20 seats if they were to travel on a scheduled flight. That means that the Prince and his entourage would take up all of first class and about six seats in club class.
The use of scheduled flights, rather than charter aircraft, stems from plans to be more ecofriendly
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2556707,00.html
posted by presgore19 at 5:25 PM
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