PRINCE Charles, Richard Branson and Boris Johnson are among the newest high-profile figures set to receive a book which campaigns to tackle climate change.

Ambleside photographer Ashley Cooper spent 13 years travelling the world taking pictures of evident of “the greatest threat humanity faces”.

Pictures included in the Images from a Warming Planet book detail the devastating impacts of forest fires, floods, deforestation, glacial melt and industrial and commercial excess.

The book was launched at the Royal Geographical Society in London where business leaders and academics committed their support. And when each guest was given a copy of the book, pledges were made to pass them on to influential friends and colleagues.

“One guest told me, I'm meeting Prince Charles tomorrow, I'm going to donate my copy of your book to him," said Mr Cooper at the end of the event hosted by global business development experts Impact International. “Others were meeting Theresa May and foreign secretary Boris Johnson, and Virgin boss Richard Branson, and offered to do the same. I am left feeling humbled and empowered in equal measure and with a real sense of hope and optimism for the future.”

At the launch, compered by explorer, TV presenter and vice president of the RGS Paul Rose, who lives in the Lake District, guests were told by Impact’s founder and CEO David Williams: "We believe that business should be a force for good."

They heard from environmental campaigner Jonathan Porritt who said: "It is the world's poorest who are suffering the most from our changing climate. How dare anybody be dispassionate about what's going on in the world right now?"

In the audience were representatives from 80 leading business organisations and institutions, including senior staff from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BP, Body Shop, HSBC, Prudential, Rolex, World Pay, and the Confederation of British Industry.

Mr Cooper took the audience on a whirlwind tour of his journey around the world.

There were also images of hope. “You might think this would be an evening of doom and gloom, but there was so much positivity in the room," said Mr Cooper. "We have the knowhow, we can fix this problem, but we need to move fast, ditching fossil fuels and embracing renewables."

Earlier this month the book Mr Cooper pledged to send the book to every world leader, and every British MP.