Prince William, Prince of Wales makes a speech at the 2023 Tusk Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London.

Prince of Wales attends the Tusk Conservation Awards; Part 1 of 2 ENGLAND: London: The Savoy Hotel: INT Prince William, Prince of Wales speech (introduced by presenter Liz Bonnin) SOT - It’s my great pleasure to be here with you all tonight as we recognise and celebrate the work of three remarkable individuals, each who are working tirelessly for a better and brighter future / their extraordinary commitment, courage and sacrifice inspires us all - To see their captivating stories brought to life in film is deeply moving, and I would like to thank our talented filmmakers for producing them / this event gives us a rare moment to reflect on the significant achievements of our award winners and to recognise the challenges they face each and every day - It is also a reminder that Africa, its people, and its biodiversity are disproportionately affected by the impacts of a warming planet / impacts which are, for the most part, not driven by those most affected - Those living in Africa emit just a quarter of the emissions than that of the average global citizen / yet the African continent is set to incur disproportionate loss and damage from climate change / but we do have the power to change this and the stories we have heard tonight provide both optimism and hope - By investing in nature-based solutions we can help mitigate the worse effects of our warming planet and put it back on a healthier path / last year, research spearheaded by Tusk showed that large, iconic animals, such as the African elephant and rhino, play a vital role in helping their ecosystems recover from the impacts of climate change - Animals can increase carbon stocks in plants and soil by grazing; dispersing seeds, and fertilising vegetation, which all help to maintain overall ecosystem diversity / supporting those who dedicate their lives to protecting these animals, provides an opportunity to safeguard those habitats so critical to our existence - And increasing the prote...