Prince Charles: World leaders must reduce emissions

Prince Charles is urging world leaders to reduce carbon emissions of face "catastrophic consequences".

Speaking at the Nobel Laureates Symposium at St James's Palace in London, he said that in many ways the answers to preventing climate change are all to hand.

"We know about energy efficiency, renewable energy and how to reduce deforestation ... but we seem strangely reluctant to apply them," the prince noted.

He warned that the world is already in its last chance saloon and that co-ordinated action is needed now and not ten years down the line.

Prince Charles said there are still many who fail to recognise the seriousness of the situation and are reluctant to accept the science of climate change.

Earlier this month the prince, who has long been passionate about environmental issues, told a group of business leaders in Brazil that the world had reached a defining moment and needed to act.