The Prince of Wales believes changes to the way cities are developed will be needed to combat the climate emergency.

Charles was speaking ahead of the G20 summit where he will join world leaders in Italy, before the UN climate change conference Cop26, which formally opens on Monday in Scotland.

Charles, who will give the opening address at the summit in Glasgow, told the Daily Express a change in lifestyles will be needed in the battle for the environment.

He told the paper: “Sustainable urban development is clearly critical in responding to the climate emergency.

“We all know it’s so utterly and vitally important for the future of our planet and of course central, indeed absolutely fundamental I would have said, to any prospect of actually achieving the crucial Cop26 targets.”

The paper added the prince feels fixing cities is an important part of cutting greenhouse gases.

Among the group who will welcome the prince and other leaders in Rome will be President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter, Laura Mattarella, and Prime Minister Mario Draghi and his wife Maria Serena Cappello.

Charles, who last visited Rome in 2019 to attend the Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman, will join the leaders for an official photograph before attending the private reception and dinner.

During the G20 summit Prime Minister Boris Johnson will urge leaders of the world’s biggest economies to make good on their commitments to cut damaging carbon emissions.

Downing Street said he would say that the countries which had done most to cause global warming had to make themselves accountable to those nations now experiencing the most severe consequences.