The sad irony is hard to miss: At an event to combat climate change of all places, everyone present, including King Charles (77), was sweating profusely. While Great Britain was breaking one temperature record after another, the monarch, who appeared in a suit, had to be specially cooled at a reception at St. James's Palace in London: Pictures show a staff member holding a small electric fan close to his face while he chatted with guests.
The man with the cooling gadget was the Master of the Household, retired Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, whose department organizes receptions at all royal residences. Charles had invited representatives from politics, science, business, and international climate diplomacy to the event - fitting for the occasion, which was focused on the environment.
No Draft in the Historic Building
The conditions were oppressive: According to "The Independent", the building has no air conditioning, which is why large fans were distributed throughout the rooms and dozens of traditional hand fans were handed out. Some guests dabbed sweat from their foreheads, many fanned themselves - with closed windows and drawn curtains, there was barely any air movement in the room.
Wednesday was the hottest June day in the history of Great Britain: With a preliminary measurement of 95.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the previous record from the summer of 1976 was broken.
Miliband: "This Was Not Normal Before"
The reception took place as part of London Climate Action Week. Energy Minister Ed Miliband (56) began his speech with "safety instructions" and pointed out a nurse on standby and a quieter room. "The very fact that we have to do this here in the United Kingdom in June says something about the circumstances in which we find ourselves", the minister said.
"This was not normal before, but unfortunately it is now the new normal", Miliband reportedly said. And if humanity does not act soon, this could still be the coolest summer compared to the years to come, he outlined in a frightening future scenario.
The reduction of methane and other so-called super pollutants is therefore one of the most important and effective means against the climate crisis. The meeting hosted by the Ministry for Energy Security and Net Zero was intended to advance this fight; Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley (60) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres (77) also gave speeches.
