Charles receives green award

Prince Charles has been presented with an environmental award in New York.The Prince laughed off criticism that he had flown to the US just to pick up the accolade - the 10th Global Environmental Citizen Award from Harvard Medical School's Centre for Health and the Global Environment.And he gave an impassioned speech on saving the planet as he was honoured by former US vice president Al Gore and Hollywood actress Meryl Streep at the end of his two-day stay.His decision to fly to America to pick up the award caused controversy after environmental campaigners accused him of "green hypocrisy".Environment Secretary David Miliband suggested Charles should be receiving the prize via video-link rather than making a 7,000-mile round trip.And as he accepted the award the Prince said: "I must warn you at the beginning that I am in fact a video recording. I have only made a virtual flight across the Atlantic and am virtually half dead and only virtually royal. I am a mere hologramatic visitor from cyberspace who could not be more flattered and honoured to be receiving this award."In an address to guests including ex-Beatle John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, Charles warned that the world was looking to the US for leadership and that governments needed to help fight climate change.Last week, President George Bush pledged to develop alternative sources of energy and called for a 20 per cent cut in petrol consumption by 2017.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

ITN | January 29, 2007

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