Prince Charles has urged financiers to invest their trillions to help save the planet by investing in projects that protect the environment.

Speaking to the Evening Standard newspaper, he said that sustainable but profitable investment was key to combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.

The prince, 70, who was in Tokyo this week for the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, warned that global capital markets needed to play a critical role in reversing damage to the atmosphere, soil and oceans.

Citing sustainable investment opportunities - such as reforestation, sorting out fisheries, rebuilding soil fertility and regeneration - Charles said that the money 'is now at last beginning to become available... because there are trillions of pounds out there, particularly in the private sector'.

Prince Charles has urged financiers to invest their trillions to help save the planet by investing in projects that protect the environment. He is pictured in Tokyo (with the head monk of the Zojoji Temple) on Wednesday, where he attended the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito

He told the Standard: 'After 35 to 40 years of trying my best with corporate, social and environmental responsibility with the private sector, and countless seminars and workshops, trying to get people to recognise the huge challenges we face, we could never actually crack the real problem, which was the lack of real understanding on the part of the financial services and capital markets sector to understand why there was such a need to invest.'

The heir to the throne added that interest has 'suddenly taken off' because investors now accept that 'the returns on investment on sustainable investing are greater now [than many of] the conventional ones'.

Last month, Charles established the Sustainable Markets Council, with the World Economic Forum, which aims to champion sustainable markets on a global scale with help from companies, major financial institutions and governments.

In May, the Prince of Wales urged big businesses to do 'a great deal more' to tackle the 'alarming' threat of climate change.

The prince, 70, warned that global capital markets needed to play a critical role in reversing damage to the atmosphere, soil and oceans. (Above, Charles at a banquet hosted by Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on Wednesday)

Speaking via video message to a summit of corporate lawyers in London, he said there is 'no excuse' not to take immediate action and 'this really is the final call'.

It came as scientists warned that elephants, rhinos and tawny eagles could become extinct within 100 years as they can't adapt to a changing climate fast enough.

The study, by a team led by the University of Southampton, also said human activity and habitat destruction was also a factor leading to their extinction.

And in July, Charles warned that the next 18 months would be critical for humanity to survive the impact of climate change.

Earlier this year, it was revealed he attempted to convince US President Donald Trump of its seriousness.

He also co-wrote a Ladybird book aimed at adults on the subject in 2017.