On Thursday, King Carl XVI Gustaf spoke at the World Wide Fund for Nature’s WWF’s televised gala event “An evening for our planet.” The King is chairman of WWF’s Board of Trustees, and the gala was arranged in connection with WWF Sweden celebrating 50 years. During the evening, reports were shown from different parts of the world about how nature and cities are affected by climate change, deforestation, illegal hunting and other threats to earth. The gala “An evening for our planet” was broadcast on the Swedish channel TV4.
In his speech that evening, His Majesty said: “Ever since I was a child, I have enjoyed being out in nature. Over the years, it has become as much an interest as a source of joy. And that is something I know I share with a lot of you. Yes, it is really a privilege that we have here in Sweden – the opportunity to move freely in forests and land. And to be out in nature and explore our rich and varied landscape. Like, for example, Isbladskärret at Djurgården here in Stockholm, where I am right now.”
The King continued: “Personally, I see it as a great privilege to have experienced how valuable natural environments – thanks to invaluable efforts from the World Wide Fund for Nature – have been saved and how endangered species such as sea eagles, beavers and mountain foxes have returned. There are actually beavers around Drottningholm Palace! Unfortunately, we humans have the ability to inflict great damage on nature. But thankfully we also have the opportunity to do the right thing”.
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an independent and non-partisan nature conservation organisation operating in more than 100 countries with more than five million supporters from across the globe.
According to the Royal Court, “The World Wide Fund for Nature works to stop the destruction of the earth’s natural habitats and build a future where people live in harmony with nature. The World Wide Fund for Nature conducts climate and nature conservation work where urgent or long-term measures are necessary to slow down climate change and preserve endangered plant and animal species or entire natural areas.”
