Prince William and Leonardo DiCaprio are uniting for a cause that we should all be concerned about - protecting the planet. The Prince of Wales and other world leaders are in Brazil for the United for Wildlife Summit, and on Tuesday, November 4, he was joined via video by the Academy Award winner. The organization, founded by William in 2014, focuses on ending the illegal trade in wildlife parts and safeguarding endangered species.
In his message, the Killers of the Flower Moon star painted a stark picture of what’s at stake. “Brazil is home to 60% of the Amazon, the lungs of the Earth, and one of the planet’s vital life support systems. Yet this irreplaceable ecosystem, like many others, is in peril,” he said.
He didn’t shy away from the causes, either. “In the past four decades, 95% of the Amazon deforestation was driven by animal agriculture. Cutting and burning ancient forests for pasture and feed, this destruction fuels droughts and illegal fires, accelerating a dangerous cycle that affects the entire planet and all who inhabit it.”
The 50-year-old also put the crisis into perspective with his own lifetime: “In my lifetime alone, we have lost over 400 million acres of forest and 70% of wildlife populations. Throughout history, when people destroy nature, civilizations collapse. We know this historically. But those communities who live in balance with nature are the ones that endure.”
He highlighted Indigenous communities as the planet’s best stewards. “Nowhere is this more evident than in the Indigenous peoples and local communities who conserve and protect these vast ecosystems. And they show us that we must shift from an extractive relationship with nature to a protective and restorative one.”
He ended with a rallying cry for world leaders: “Leaders meeting in Brazil right now have the unprecedented opportunity to back nature’s most effective guardians through policies and funding. We must learn from our Indigenous partners that nature is our most powerful solution to the crisis facing climate, biodiversity, and human well-being. I urge world leaders to unite and meet this moment with courage, ambition, and bold action. After all, our future depends on it.”
Prince William echoed that same urgency in his own speech, looking ahead to this year’s Earthshot Prize - his global initiative that rewards solutions to environmental challenges. “Our task here today is clear: we must put a stop to the criminal networks driving environmental crime and destruction,” he said. “We must recognize and celebrate these protectors, not just in words but through our actions. And we must act together.”
William also announced a new initiative to support Indigenous people in the Brazilian Amazon - a partnership between The Royal Foundation, the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon, and The Podáali Fund. The fund will provide legal aid, emergency support, and raise awareness of Indigenous rights. “But today, these protectors are under attack,” William said, pointing to 120 environmental defenders killed or disappeared in Latin America in 2024 alone.
He also highlighted the importance of Indigenous stewardship: “They are not just residents of the forest - they are its protectors. Their stewardship has kept deforestation rates in Indigenous Lands in the Brazilian Amazon up to 83% lower than in unprotected areas globally.”
As part of his address, William also unveiled a new initiative from The Royal Foundation in partnership with the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon and The Podáali Fund - the first Indigenous-led fund covering the Brazilian Amazon. The collaboration will provide legal aid, emergency support, and raise awareness for Indigenous rights.