Jacinda Ardern talks climate change with Prince William, David Attenborough, Al Gore
Day one of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland has seen Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meet with several high profile figures to talk climate change and mental health. After meeting with Prince William, Ms Ardern was on the Safeguarding Our Planet panel with environmentalist Sir David Attenborough and former US Vice President Al Gore, to discuss climate change. Calling climate change the biggest threat to our world, Ms Ardern said the short-term political cycle made it difficult for politicians to invest in long-term infrastructure to take action on it. However, she said it was her aim to create legislation "that embeds those targets, that ambition that we need" and "endures beyond us as individuals". She gave a shout-out to her government's billion tree programme as an example of an investment that "will set us on a long-term path for guardianship". Ms Ardern also recalled 10 years ago being booed by other politicians and her own family when trying to discuss the impact of climate change, but notes the attitude towards global warming has since changed, reports the Guardian. Future proofing society and the economy was the "only option", she said. When asked by Mr Gore if she could think of a man or woman who didn't want to do anything about climate change - a potential attempt to get Ms Ardern to speak about US President Donald Trump - and what she would say to them, the Prime Minister said she would show them the effect of global warming on the Pacific Islands. Newshub's Europe correspondent Lloyd Burr told The AM Show that Ms Ardern was very sought after with numerous engagements making up her day, including interviews with CNN. But The AM Show host Duncan Garner reckoned that Ms Ardern hadn't enthralled Mr Attenborough on the panel. "[David Attenborough] is sitting there, and he looks like a grumpy old man listening to Jacinda... his arms are folded, he looks very unimpressed with the whole thing". The show's sports presenter, Mark Richardson, agreed. "David was armed folded, but his shoulders were also hunched, he was forming a little ball like a hedgehog would, when a hedgehog is under attack". But news presenter, Amanda Gillies, believed the environmentalist was just tired after a long day of meetings. Newshub.