Prince Charles warns extreme weather such as Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines are increasing as 'direct result' of man-made climate change

Facts and the science are clear and inescapable, says Prince of Wales

Devastation: The scene in Tacloban in central Philippines after it was hit by Haiyan (AFP)

Extreme weather events such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines are increasing as a “direct result” of man-made climate change, the Prince of Wales has warned.

Charles was speaking at a meeting on tropical forests and climate change, attended by business leaders and forestry experts, at the Royal Society in London.

He joked that he had come for some "cheap entertainment" after the private panel discussion which had taken place before he came.

The meeting today marked the launch of Carbon Disclosure Project's (CDP) annual report into corporate attempts to reduce the risk of supply chains causing deforestation.

Paul Simpson, chief executive of CDP, said: "This is the first time we have had a joint event with Prince Charles. He is very knowledgeable about this area, probably more than any of the politicians in our government."

Matt Sexter, director of corporate and social responsibility at B&Q, said: "Prince Charles told me that 20 years ago he met our chief executive and challenged him to make our timber supply chain more sustainable.

"I told Prince Charles that we had met his challenge. He said it was terrific that B&Q are no longer causing deforestation, but asked what we are doing about reforestation. It is nice to be set a new challenge just when you have met the old one!"

Mike Barry, director of Plan A, Marks and Spencer's environmental sustainability initiative, said: "Prince Charles told me he was very inspired by M&S and impressed with our leadership in this area. We really welcome the Prince's intervention."

Charles told guests: "The devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines should surely have been a poignant and telling reminder of the intimacy and interdependence of man's relationship with the natural world.

"As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report so clearly tells us, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events has increased, and is set further to increase, in many parts of the world, as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change."

He added: "The facts and the science are clear and inescapable."

Justin Mundy, director of Charles's charities' International Sustainability Unit (ISU) praised the Prince's "determination for practical action on the ground".

Gavin Neath, co-chair of the ISU's working group on public-private partnerships to reduce deforestation, said: "It is vital that we don't make the same mistake in Africa in the next decade that we made in South East Asia in the last two."

Andrew Mitchell, founder and director of Global Canopy Programme, said: "Agriculture is the big sumo wrestler of deforestation and climate change. We have to engage with the agricultural sector in stopping deforestation. What we are looking at here is nothing less than a revolution in our economy. It will not happen overnight."

Jeroen Roodenburg, ambassador for the private sector and international cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, also attended today's meeting.

He said: "I feel we have a common agenda. That is needed for today and certainly tomorrow's world."

PA