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Environment

Most Recommended Books

Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air by David J C MacKay

“What the late David MacKay did was give us a rigorous understanding of the way that we use and generate energy.”

Chris Goodall, Environmentalist

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The Limits to Growth by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

“Books like this predicted that there would be famines in the future due to the rising population.”

Rosamund McDougall, Environmentalist

Read more

Storms of my Grandchildren by James Hanson

“James Hanson and I share a very real and personal concern: what future awaits our grandchildren if the world does not take appropriate action – now?”

Caspar Henderson, Journalist

Read more

Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

“This is a book obviously for readers but it’s also a book for writers of science to understand how to capture the imagination of readers.”

Gaia Vince, Environmentalist

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Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

“In the introduction to The Weird, the 2011 anthology that Jeff Vandermeer and his wife Ann edited, they suggest the weird isn’t a genre or a form so much as a technique or an affect, a thing that lurks in the interstices, and which emerges in unexpected and unsettling ways. I rather love this idea, not least because it captures something of what makes both Annihilation and its two sequels, Authority and Acceptance, so compelling, the way reading them leaves you feeling like you’ve been colonised yourself, your brain permanently altered by your descent into the world of the books.”

James Bradley, Novelist

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Browse book recommendations:

Environment

  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Ethics
  • Renewable Energy

From novels to science books, we have a large collection of recommendations of the best books to read about the environment and environmental issues. The September 2019 UN climate summit was clear evidence that limiting climate change and preserving biodiversity are rapidly moving up the political agenda globally, but the scale of the problem seems to be mounting at least as fast as the commitment to tackling it.

Our most recommended books about the environment appear in the list on the left. You can also read our interviews looking at specific issues in more detail. Harvard historian Naomi Oreskes looks at The Politics of Climate Change. Sociologist and author Rebecca Altman recommends books on pollution. If you’re interested in energy transition, renewable energy expert Chris Goodall has some suggestions.

Professor Juliet Schor looks at consumption and the environment and writer and journalist Adam Minter, who has covered the topic for years, discusses the trash trade.  Science writer Gaia Vince talks about the Anthropocene and the geologist, Jan Zalasiewicz, talks about Anthropocene oceans.

If you’re a fan of Guardian columnist George Monbiot, he’s chosen an essential reading list for understanding our environmental challenges.

You can also find books about the environment and environmental issues in some of our other interviews, such as Clearing the Air by Tim Smedley, which was chosen as one of the best science books of 2019 by the Royal Society. In addition, we have a short interview with Vaclav Smil about his book, Growth: from Microorganisms to Megacities.

    The Best Climate Change Novels, recommended by James Bradley

  • Read
    The Best Climate Change Novels - Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

    1

    Annihilation
    by Jeff Vandermeer

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    The Best Climate Change Novels - Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver

    2

    Flight Behaviour
    by Barbara Kingsolver

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    The Best Climate Change Novels - Barkskins by Annie Proulx

    3

    Barkskins
    by Annie Proulx

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    The Best Climate Change Novels - Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson

    4

    Aurora
    by Kim Stanley Robinson

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    The Best Climate Change Novels - The Swan Book by Alexis Wright

    5

    The Swan Book
    by Alexis Wright

The Best Climate Change Novels, recommended by James Bradley

The best fiction allows us to hold ideas in our heads about time and space and causality and connection that are difficult to articulate in other ways, argues the Australian author James Bradley. It helps its readers engage with dangers and possibilities that are at the very edge of imagination

    The best books on Radical Environmentalism, recommended by Daegan Miller

  • Read
    The best books on Radical Environmentalism - The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

    1

    The Argonauts
    by Maggie Nelson

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    The best books on Radical Environmentalism - Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

    2

    Invisible Man
    by Ralph Ellison

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    The best books on Radical Environmentalism - Anarchy, Geography, Modernity by Élisée Reclus

    3

    Anarchy, Geography, Modernity
    by Élisée Reclus

  • Read
    The best books on Radical Environmentalism - Savage Dreams by Rebecca Solnit

    4

    Savage Dreams
    by Rebecca Solnit

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    The best books on Radical Environmentalism - Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson

    5

    Complete Poems
    by Emily Dickinson

The best books on Radical Environmentalism, recommended by Daegan Miller

The shining core of a radical environmentalism is when we open up our circle of concern to include things beyond trees or animals or water to people of all kinds, says the writer and landscape historian Daegan Miller. Here he selects five of the best books that evoke the spirit of the movement.

    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty, recommended by Kate Marvel

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty - Field Notes From a Catastrophe: Man, nature and climate change by Elizabeth Kolbert

    1

    Field Notes From a Catastrophe: Man, nature and climate change
    by Elizabeth Kolbert

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    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty - Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez

    2

    Arctic Dreams
    by Barry Lopez

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty - Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

    3

    Annihilation
    by Jeff Vandermeer

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty - Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges

    4

    Fictions
    by Jorge Luis Borges

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty - Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Russell Hochschild

    5

    Strangers in Their Own Land
    by Arlie Russell Hochschild

The best books on Climate Change and Uncertainty, recommended by Kate Marvel

‘When we talk about climate change, we sometimes assume people will be swayed by one more graph, one more coherent argument. But that’s not how people work. More facts don’t change minds, and deeply held views don’t always dictate behaviour.’ How, then, to grapple with a future that ‘might be weirder than we realise’? Kate Marvel, Associate Research Scientist at Columbia University and NASA, recommends an essential reading list for those ready to confront climate change and the uncertainties it brings

    The Best Cli-Fi Books, recommended by Dan Bloom

  • Read
    The Best Cli-Fi Books - Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver

    1

    Flight Behaviour
    by Barbara Kingsolver

  • Read
    The Best Cli-Fi Books - Anchor Point by Alice Robinson

    2

    Anchor Point
    by Alice Robinson

  • Read
    The Best Cli-Fi Books - We Are Unprepared by Meg Little Reilly

    3

    We Are Unprepared
    by Meg Little Reilly

  • Read
    The Best Cli-Fi Books - Polar City Red by Jim Laughter

    4

    Polar City Red
    by Jim Laughter

  • Read
    The Best Cli-Fi Books - Please Don't Paint Our Planet Pink! by Gregg Kleiner and Laurel Thompson

    5

    Please Don't Paint Our Planet Pink!
    by Gregg Kleiner and Laurel Thompson

The Best Cli-Fi Books, recommended by Dan Bloom

Fiction that explores issues of climate change is growing at an unprecedented rate today, says the journalist who coined the phrase ‘cli-fi’, Dan Bloom. Here, he picks the five best books of the field, and introduces us to a globally important, underexplored literary genre

    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change, recommended by Naomi Oreskes

  • Read
    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change - The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable by Amitav Ghosh

    1

    The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
    by Amitav Ghosh

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    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change - Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization by Roy Scranton

    2

    Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization
    by Roy Scranton

  • Read
    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change - Love in the Anthropocene by Bonnie Nadzam & Dale Jamieson

    3

    Love in the Anthropocene
    by Bonnie Nadzam & Dale Jamieson

  • Read
    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change - The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free Markets since the Depression by Angus Burgin

    4

    The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free Markets since the Depression
    by Angus Burgin

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    The best books on The Politics of Climate Change - The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy by Michael Mann & Tom Toles

    5

    The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy
    by Michael Mann & Tom Toles

The best books on The Politics of Climate Change, recommended by Naomi Oreskes

‘We’re on a path that is going to lead to tremendous destruction and yet most of us are going about our lives as if nothing particularly special is happening.’ The science of climate change is incontrovertible but deniers persist and political and economic solutions continue to be – systematically – frustrated. Time is running out, says Naomi Oreskes

    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List

  • Read
    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List - The Road by Cormac McCarthy

    1

    The Road
    by Cormac McCarthy

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    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List - Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty

    2

    Capital in the Twenty-First Century
    by Thomas Piketty

  • Read
    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List - The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

    3

    The Shock Doctrine
    by Naomi Klein

  • Read
    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List - What About Me? by Paul Verhaeghe

    4

    What About Me?
    by Paul Verhaeghe

  • Read
    George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List - Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth

    5

    Doughnut Economics
    by Kate Raworth

George Monbiot — with An Essential Reading List

Writer and investigative journalist George Monbiot recommends books that have shaped him, and that are crucial reading for those wishing to navigate the current economic and environmental crises.

    The best books on Energy Transitions, recommended by Chris Goodall

  • Read
    The best books on Energy Transitions - Energy and Civilization: a History by Vaclav Smil

    1

    Energy and Civilization: a History
    by Vaclav Smil

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    The best books on Energy Transitions - The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power by Daniel Yergin

    2

    The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power
    by Daniel Yergin

  • Read
    The best books on Energy Transitions - Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air by David J C MacKay

    3

    Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air
    by David J C MacKay

  • Read
    The best books on Energy Transitions - Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry by Travis Bradford

    4

    Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry
    by Travis Bradford

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    The best books on Energy Transitions - The Planet Remade by Oliver Morton

    5

    The Planet Remade
    by Oliver Morton

The best books on Energy Transitions, recommended by Chris Goodall

The switch to sources of energy other than oil and gas is now well under way, but how long will it be before we can rely on them for the bulk of the world’s power—if ever? Renewable energy expert Chris Goodall gives us a thought-provoking reading list to think about both past and future ‘energy transitions.’

    The best books on Chernobyl, recommended by Kate Brown

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    The best books on Chernobyl - Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy by Serhii Plokhy

    1

    Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy
    by Serhii Plokhy

  • Read
    The best books on Chernobyl - Producing Power: The Pre-Chernobyl History of the Soviet Nuclear Industry by Sonja D Schmid

    2

    Producing Power: The Pre-Chernobyl History of the Soviet Nuclear Industry
    by Sonja D Schmid

  • Read
    The best books on Chernobyl - Voices From Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

    3

    Voices From Chernobyl
    by Svetlana Alexievich

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    The best books on Chernobyl - Atomic Spaces: Living on the Manhattan Project by Peter Bacon Hales

    4

    Atomic Spaces: Living on the Manhattan Project
    by Peter Bacon Hales

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    The best books on Chernobyl - The Politics of Invisibility: Public Knowledge about Radiation Health Effects after Chernobyl by Olga Kuchinskaya

    5

    The Politics of Invisibility: Public Knowledge about Radiation Health Effects after Chernobyl
    by Olga Kuchinskaya

The best books on Chernobyl, recommended by Kate Brown

While widely regarded as the world’s worst nuclear accident, Chernobyl’s legacy remains fiercely contested, with death tolls ranging from 31 to 200,000. MIT historian Kate Brown, who has spent years in the Chernobyl archives, picks the best books on the disaster, compares its impact with atomic bomb testing, and argues for more research into low-dose radiation exposure

    The best books on Ice, recommended by Mark Serreze

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    The best books on Ice - Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic by Alfred Lansing

    1

    Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic
    by Alfred Lansing

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    The best books on Ice - Alone by Richard E. Byrd

    2

    Alone
    by Richard E. Byrd

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    The best books on Ice - North of Latitude Eighty by Geoffrey Hattersley Smith

    3

    North of Latitude Eighty
    by Geoffrey Hattersley Smith

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    The best books on Ice - The Two Mile Time Machine by Richard B. Alley

    4

    The Two Mile Time Machine
    by Richard B. Alley

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    The best books on Ice - A World Without Ice by Henry N. Pollack

    5

    A World Without Ice
    by Henry N. Pollack

The best books on Ice, recommended by Mark Serreze

Ice and humanity have always been close partners, says Mark Serreze, director of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. But this relationship is changing fast as polar ice melts. Here he selects five books that fed his fascination.

    The best books on Wilderness, recommended by Mark Boyle

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    The best books on Wilderness - A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

    1

    A Sand County Almanac
    by Aldo Leopold

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    The best books on Wilderness - The Road by Cormac McCarthy

    2

    The Road
    by Cormac McCarthy

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    The best books on Wilderness - Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree

    3

    Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm
    by Isabella Tree

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    The best books on Wilderness - Of Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez

    4

    Of Wolves and Men
    by Barry Lopez

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    The best books on Wilderness - The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey

    5

    The Monkey Wrench Gang
    by Edward Abbey

The best books on Wilderness, recommended by Mark Boyle

Author and environmentalist Mark Boyle lived for three years without money; now he lives entirely off-grid and eschews all forms of modern technology, in search of a wilder way of living—and of being more in tune with the natural world. Here he discusses his literary inspirations: the best books on wilderness.

    The best books on Wilding, recommended by Isabella Tree

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    The best books on Wilding - A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

    1

    A Sand County Almanac
    by Aldo Leopold

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    The best books on Wilding - Three Against the Wilderness by Eric Collier

    2

    Three Against the Wilderness
    by Eric Collier

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    The best books on Wilding - The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen

    3

    The Song of the Dodo
    by David Quammen

  • Read
    The best books on Wilding - Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea, and Human Life by George Monbiot

    4

    Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea, and Human Life
    by George Monbiot

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    The best books on Wilding - Half Earth by E. O. Wilson

    5

    Half Earth
    by E. O. Wilson

The best books on Wilding, recommended by Isabella Tree

Is there room for both humans and wild nature to flourish on an increasingly crowded planet? The author Isabella Tree argues that ‘wilding’ can be benefit both, and chooses five books to support her case.

    The best books on Asia’s Rivers, recommended by Victor Mallet

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    The best books on Asia’s Rivers - Slowly Down the Ganges by Eric Newby

    1

    Slowly Down the Ganges
    by Eric Newby

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    The best books on Asia’s Rivers - Empires of the Indus: The Story of A River by Alice Albinia

    2

    Empires of the Indus: The Story of A River
    by Alice Albinia

  • Read
    The best books on Asia’s Rivers - The River's Tale: A Year in the Mekong by Edward Gargan

    3

    The River's Tale: A Year in the Mekong
    by Edward Gargan

  • Read
    The best books on Asia’s Rivers - Black Dragon River: A Journey Down the Amur River Between Russia and China by Dominic Ziegler

    4

    Black Dragon River: A Journey Down the Amur River Between Russia and China
    by Dominic Ziegler

  • Read
    The best books on Asia’s Rivers - Meltdown in Tibet: China's Reckless Destruction of Ecosystems from the Highlands of Tibet to the Deltas of Asia by Michael Buckley

    5

    Meltdown in Tibet: China's Reckless Destruction of Ecosystems from the Highlands of Tibet to the Deltas of Asia
    by Michael Buckley

The best books on Asia’s Rivers, recommended by Victor Mallet

Human history has been founded on the banks of great rivers – but in the East they are increasingly the focus of bitter international and environmental dispute, says Victor Mallet, the journalist and author of River of Life, River of Death. Here he selects five brilliant books that profile Asia’s most celebrated waterways.

    The best books on Pollution, recommended by Rebecca Altman

  • Read
    The best books on Pollution - Living Downstream: An Ecologist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment by Sandra Steingraber

    1

    Living Downstream: An Ecologist's Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment
    by Sandra Steingraber

  • Read
    The best books on Pollution - Dumping in Dixie by Robert Bullard

    2

    Dumping in Dixie
    by Robert Bullard

  • Read
    The best books on Pollution - Voices From Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

    3

    Voices From Chernobyl
    by Svetlana Alexievich

  • Read
    The best books on Pollution - Silent Snow: The Slow Poisoning of the Arctic by Marla Cone

    4

    Silent Snow: The Slow Poisoning of the Arctic
    by Marla Cone

  • Read
    The best books on Pollution - Plastic Ocean by Charles Moore

    5

    Plastic Ocean
    by Charles Moore

The best books on Pollution, recommended by Rebecca Altman

‘One of the themes that I hope shines through is the significance of the act of witnessing. These books have all been influential, and as a result, all stand as testaments to the cascading influence one person can have.’

    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans, recommended by Jan Zalasiewicz

  • Read
    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

    1

    Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
    by Jules Verne

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    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans - The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson

    2

    The Sea Around Us
    by Rachel Carson

  • Read
    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans - Mapping the Deep by Robert Kunzig

    3

    Mapping the Deep
    by Robert Kunzig

  • Read
    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans - The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea by Callum Roberts

    4

    The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea
    by Callum Roberts

  • Read
    The best books on Anthropocene Oceans - Ponyo by Hayao Miyazaki

    5

    Ponyo
    by Hayao Miyazaki

The best books on Anthropocene Oceans, recommended by Jan Zalasiewicz

Geologist Jan Zalasiewicz tells us about the danger posed to oceans by the Anthropocene – and how we can work together to protect them

    The best books on The Anthropocene, recommended by Gaia Vince

  • Read
    The best books on The Anthropocene - Field Notes From a Catastrophe: Man, nature and climate change by Elizabeth Kolbert

    1

    Field Notes From a Catastrophe: Man, nature and climate change
    by Elizabeth Kolbert

  • Read
    The best books on The Anthropocene - When The Rivers Run Dry: Journeys into the heart of the world's water crisis by Fred Pearce

    2

    When The Rivers Run Dry: Journeys into the heart of the world's water crisis
    by Fred Pearce

  • Read
    The best books on The Anthropocene - Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

    3

    Last Chance to See
    by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

  • Read
    The best books on The Anthropocene - The End of Nature by Bill McKibben

    4

    The End of Nature
    by Bill McKibben

  • Read
    The best books on The Anthropocene - Our Dying Planet: An ecologist's view of the crisis we face by Peter Sale

    5

    Our Dying Planet: An ecologist's view of the crisis we face
    by Peter Sale

The best books on The Anthropocene, recommended by Gaia Vince

In 2015 Gaia Vince became the first woman to win the Royal Society’s science book of the year prize for her book Adventures in the Anthropocene. She spent two years on the road investigating how communities across the world are coping with climate change. Here, she shares the five best books on climate change and the Anthropocene – the geological epoch of man.

    The best books on The Trash Trade, recommended by Adam Minter

  • Read
    The best books on The Trash Trade - Waste and Want by Susan Strasser

    1

    Waste and Want
    by Susan Strasser

  • Read
    The best books on The Trash Trade - Cash for Your Trash by Carl Zimring

    2

    Cash for Your Trash
    by Carl Zimring

  • Read
    The best books on The Trash Trade - Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

    3

    Behind the Beautiful Forevers
    by Katherine Boo

  • Read
    The best books on The Trash Trade - The Metal Shredders by Nancy Zafris

    4

    The Metal Shredders
    by Nancy Zafris

  • Read
    The best books on The Trash Trade - Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

    5

    Ship Breaker
    by Paolo Bacigalupi

The best books on The Trash Trade, recommended by Adam Minter

Recycling is more than just a blue and green bin in your pantry, says journalist Adam Minter – it’s a global trade with centuries of history that stretches from American scrapyards to Chinese e-waste recycling villages

    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene, recommended by Caspar Henderson

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    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene - Natural History by Pliny the Elder

    1

    Natural History
    by Pliny the Elder

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    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene - The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin

    2

    The Descent of Man
    by Charles Darwin

  • Read
    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene - The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss by Claire Nouvian

    3

    The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
    by Claire Nouvian

  • Read
    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene - Storms of my Grandchildren by James Hanson

    4

    Storms of my Grandchildren
    by James Hanson

  • Read
    The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene - The Techno-Human Condition by Braden Allenby and Daniel Sarewitz

    5

    The Techno-Human Condition
    by Braden Allenby and Daniel Sarewitz

The Best Books for Growing up in the Anthropocene, recommended by Caspar Henderson

Welcome to life in the Anthropocene, a new epoch in the history of life where the impact of humanity on the Earth system is so great, we need a new term for it. Author and journalist Caspar Henderson offers a rich reading list to help ourselves and our children grow up in the Anthropocene.

    The best books on Uncivilisation, recommended by Paul Kingsnorth

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    The best books on Uncivilisation - A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright

    1

    A Short History of Progress
    by Ronald Wright

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    The best books on Uncivilisation - The Word for World is Forest by Ursula Le Guin

    2

    The Word for World is Forest
    by Ursula Le Guin

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    The best books on Uncivilisation - Technological Slavery by Theodore Kaczynski

    3

    Technological Slavery
    by Theodore Kaczynski

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    The best books on Uncivilisation - St Mawr by DH Lawrence

    4

    St Mawr
    by DH Lawrence

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    The best books on Uncivilisation - Double Axe by Robinson Jeffers

    5

    Double Axe
    by Robinson Jeffers

The best books on Uncivilisation, recommended by Paul Kingsnorth

Paul Kingsnorth, co-founder of the Dark Mountain project, urges the need for uncivilisation: the process of getting beyond our human assumptions, such as the myth of unfailing linear progress. It is about looking at humanity in the wider context of the whole planet, and the imminent ecological crisis.

    The best books on Consumption and the Environment, recommended by Juliet Schor

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    The best books on Consumption and the Environment - Distinction by Pierre Bourdieu

    1

    Distinction
    by Pierre Bourdieu

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    The best books on Consumption and the Environment - Econned by Yves Smith

    2

    Econned
    by Yves Smith

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    The best books on Consumption and the Environment - The End of the Long Summer by Dianne Dumanoski

    3

    The End of the Long Summer
    by Dianne Dumanoski

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    The best books on Consumption and the Environment - Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken

    4

    Blessed Unrest
    by Paul Hawken

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    The best books on Consumption and the Environment - Living in Denial by Kari Marie Norgaard

    5

    Living in Denial
    by Kari Marie Norgaard

The best books on Consumption and the Environment, recommended by Juliet Schor

The author of True Wealth suggests how we can rethink our patterns of consumption and approach our relationship with nature in a new, less damaging, way

    The best books on Clean Energy, recommended by Jerry McNerney

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    The best books on Clean Energy - The Limits to Growth by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

    1

    The Limits to Growth
    by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

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    The best books on Clean Energy - Hubbert’s Peak by Kenneth S Deffeyes

    2

    Hubbert’s Peak
    by Kenneth S Deffeyes

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    The best books on Clean Energy - Winning the Oil Endgame by Amory B Lovins, E Kyle Datta, Jonathan G Koomey and Nathan J Glasgow & Odd-Even Bustnes

    3

    Winning the Oil Endgame
    by Amory B Lovins, E Kyle Datta, Jonathan G Koomey and Nathan J Glasgow & Odd-Even Bustnes

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    The best books on Clean Energy - Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by Michael Braungart and William McDonough

    4

    Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
    by Michael Braungart and William McDonough

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    The best books on Clean Energy - Wind Power by Paul Gipe

    5

    Wind Power
    by Paul Gipe

The best books on Clean Energy, recommended by Jerry McNerney

We’re in a “dual energy crisis”, says the author of Clean Energy Nation, and not doing enough about it. He tells us what we must do if we’re to overcome our dependence on oil and limit the damaging effects of climate change

    The best books on Renewable Energy, recommended by Juliet Davenport

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    The best books on Renewable Energy - Solar by Ian McEwan

    1

    Solar
    by Ian McEwan

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    The best books on Renewable Energy - The Corporation by Joel Bakan

    2

    The Corporation
    by Joel Bakan

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    The best books on Renewable Energy - Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air by David J C MacKay

    3

    Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air
    by David J C MacKay

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    The best books on Renewable Energy - Too Big to Fail by Andrew Sorkin

    4

    Too Big to Fail
    by Andrew Sorkin

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    The best books on Renewable Energy - The Hemlock Cup by Bettany Hughes

    5

    The Hemlock Cup
    by Bettany Hughes

The best books on Renewable Energy, recommended by Juliet Davenport

The chief executive of Good Energy says we need to think big if we want to cut our use of high-carbon energy. She tells us about the intersection between business, politics and doing the right thing

    The best books on Technology and Nature, recommended by Daniel Headrick

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    The best books on Technology and Nature - Medieval Technology and Social Change by Lynn White Jr.

    1

    Medieval Technology and Social Change
    by Lynn White Jr.

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    The best books on Technology and Nature - Plagues and Peoples by William McNeill

    2

    Plagues and Peoples
    by William McNeill

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    The best books on Technology and Nature - Ecological Imperialism by Alfred Crosby

    3

    Ecological Imperialism
    by Alfred Crosby

  • Read
    The best books on Technology and Nature - Collapse by Jared Diamond

    4

    Collapse
    by Jared Diamond

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    The best books on Technology and Nature - Something New Under the Sun by John R McNeill

    5

    Something New Under the Sun
    by John R McNeill

The best books on Technology and Nature, recommended by Daniel Headrick

The historian explains how the power of technology has affected man’s relationship with the rest of nature, and tells us what determines why some civilisations succeed and others fail

    The best books on Man and Nature, recommended by TC Boyle

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    The best books on Man and Nature - The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen

    1

    The Song of the Dodo
    by David Quammen

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    The best books on Man and Nature - Out of Eden by Alan Burdick

    2

    Out of Eden
    by Alan Burdick

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    The best books on Man and Nature - Playing God in Yellowstone by Alston Chase

    3

    Playing God in Yellowstone
    by Alston Chase

  • Read
    The best books on Man and Nature - The Tiger by John Vaillant

    4

    The Tiger
    by John Vaillant

  • Read
    The best books on Man and Nature - The Beast In The Garden by David Baron

    5

    The Beast In The Garden
    by David Baron

The best books on Man and Nature, recommended by TC Boyle

The novelist and nature lover T C Boyle tells us about delicious dodos, angry tigers, snakes on planes and why Viagra saves rhinos.

    The best books on The Sea, recommended by Denise Russell

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    The best books on The Sea - Cod by Mark Kurlansky

    1

    Cod
    by Mark Kurlansky

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    The best books on The Sea - Dangerous Waters by John S Burnett

    2

    Dangerous Waters
    by John S Burnett

  • Read
    The best books on The Sea - The Whale Warriors by Peter Heller

    3

    The Whale Warriors
    by Peter Heller

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    The best books on The Sea - Outcasts of the Islands by Sebastian Hope

    4

    Outcasts of the Islands
    by Sebastian Hope

  • Read
    The best books on The Sea - The Unnatural History of the Sea by Callum Roberts

    5

    The Unnatural History of the Sea
    by Callum Roberts

The best books on The Sea, recommended by Denise Russell

The Australian environmental philosopher discusses man’s interaction with the oceans – from whaling voyages and dynamite fishing to sea gypsies and the flourishing business of piracy

    The best books on Climate Change, recommended by Duncan Clark

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change - The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson

    1

    The Rough Guide to Climate Change
    by Robert Henson

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    The best books on Climate Change - Ten Technologies to Save the Planet by Chris Goodall

    2

    Ten Technologies to Save the Planet
    by Chris Goodall

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change - How Bad are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee

    3

    How Bad are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything
    by Mike Berners-Lee

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change - Kyoto2 by Oliver Tickell

    4

    Kyoto2
    by Oliver Tickell

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change - Fixing Climate by Robert Kunzig and Wallace S Broecker

    5

    Fixing Climate
    by Robert Kunzig and Wallace S Broecker

The best books on Climate Change, recommended by Duncan Clark

The environment writer suggests the best reading on carbon costs, climate science and technological solutions to save the planet

    The best books on Solar Power, recommended by Bob Johnstone

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    The best books on Solar Power - From Space to Earth by John Perlin

    1

    From Space to Earth
    by John Perlin

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    The best books on Solar Power - The Grid by Philip Schewe

    2

    The Grid
    by Philip Schewe

  • Read
    The best books on Solar Power - Winning Our Energy Independence by David Freeman

    3

    Winning Our Energy Independence
    by David Freeman

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    The best books on Solar Power - The Solar Economy by Hermann Scheer

    4

    The Solar Economy
    by Hermann Scheer

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    The best books on Solar Power - Earth by Fred Krupp and Miriam Horn

    5

    Earth
    by Fred Krupp and Miriam Horn

The best books on Solar Power, recommended by Bob Johnstone

Former Wired contributing editor and MIT Science Journalism Fellow, Bob Johnstone, explains why the Germans lead the world in solar energy and how financial innovation is changing the game in the US. He picks the best books on solar power.

    The best books on Climate Change Innovation, recommended by Roger Pielke Jr

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    The best books on Climate Change Innovation - Human Impacts on Weather and Climate by William R Cotton and Roger A Pielke

    1

    Human Impacts on Weather and Climate
    by William R Cotton and Roger A Pielke

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    The best books on Climate Change Innovation - How Many People Can the Earth Support? by Joel E Cohen

    2

    How Many People Can the Earth Support?
    by Joel E Cohen

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    The best books on Climate Change Innovation - Seeing Like a State by James C Scott

    3

    Seeing Like a State
    by James C Scott

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Change Innovation - Energy at the Crossroads by Vaclav Smil

    4

    Energy at the Crossroads
    by Vaclav Smil

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    The best books on Climate Change Innovation - Why We Disagree About Climate Change by Mike Hulme

    5

    Why We Disagree About Climate Change
    by Mike Hulme

The best books on Climate Change Innovation, recommended by Roger Pielke Jr

Environmental studies professor Roger Pielke Jr says innovation and argument is the only way to reverse climate change.

    The best books on Climate Justice, recommended by Mary Robinson

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    The best books on Climate Justice - Our Common Future by World Commission on Environment and Development

    1

    Our Common Future
    by World Commission on Environment and Development

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    The best books on Climate Justice - High Tide by Mark Lynas

    2

    High Tide
    by Mark Lynas

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Justice - The Ethics of Climate Change by James Garvey

    3

    The Ethics of Climate Change
    by James Garvey

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Justice - Human Rights and Climate Change by edited by Stephen Humphreys

    4

    Human Rights and Climate Change
    by edited by Stephen Humphreys

  • Read
    The best books on Climate Justice - Storms of my Grandchildren by James Hanson

    5

    Storms of my Grandchildren
    by James Hanson

The best books on Climate Justice, recommended by Mary Robinson

The former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland picks the best books to read on climate justice.

    The best books on Saving the World, recommended by Jonathon Porritt

  • Read
    The best books on Saving the World - The Limits to Growth by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

    1

    The Limits to Growth
    by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

  • Read
    The best books on Saving the World - Natural Capitalism by Amory Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins & Paul Hawken

    2

    Natural Capitalism
    by Amory Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins & Paul Hawken

  • Read
    The best books on Saving the World - The Upside of Down by Thomas Homer-Dixon

    3

    The Upside of Down
    by Thomas Homer-Dixon

  • Read
    The best books on Saving the World - Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman

    4

    Hot, Flat and Crowded
    by Thomas Friedman

  • Read
    The best books on Saving the World - Moby Dick by Herman Melville

    5

    Moby Dick
    by Herman Melville

The best books on Saving the World, recommended by Jonathon Porritt

Co-founder of Forum For The Future and one of the leading experts on climate change hammers home the need to encourage sustainable development technologies across the globe

    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis, recommended by Isabel Hilton

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    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - The River Runs Black by Elizabeth Economy

    1

    The River Runs Black
    by Elizabeth Economy

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    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Mao's War Against Nature by Judith Shapiro

    2

    Mao's War Against Nature
    by Judith Shapiro

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - The Retreat of the Elephants by Mark Elvin

    3

    The Retreat of the Elephants
    by Mark Elvin

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong

    4

    Wolf Totem
    by Jiang Rong

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - China's Water Crisis (Voices of Asia) by Ma Jun

    5

    China's Water Crisis (Voices of Asia)
    by Ma Jun

  • Read
    The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis - Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker

    6

    Hungry Ghosts
    by Jasper Becker

The best books on China’s Environmental Crisis, recommended by Isabel Hilton

Editor of the website China Dialogue, Isabel Hilton says the evidence of environmental disaster in China is dramatic. Discusses five of the most influential books on environmentalism in China

    The best books on Environmental Change, recommended by David Shukman

  • Read
    The best books on Environmental Change - Why We Disagree About Climate Change by Mike Hulme

    1

    Why We Disagree About Climate Change
    by Mike Hulme

  • Read
    The best books on Environmental Change - Coral by Steve Jones

    2

    Coral
    by Steve Jones

  • Read
    The best books on Environmental Change - The End of the Line by Charles Clover

    3

    The End of the Line
    by Charles Clover

  • Read
    The best books on Environmental Change - Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler

    4

    Terra Incognita
    by Sara Wheeler

  • Read
    The best books on Environmental Change - Kolymsky Heights by Lionel Davidson

    5

    Kolymsky Heights
    by Lionel Davidson

The best books on Environmental Change, recommended by David Shukman

BBC News Environment and Science correspondent discusses climate change. Recommends books on coral, fishing, the antarctic, and the science of climate change – as well as an Arctic thriller

    The best books on Earth History, recommended by Adam Maloof

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - The Sheltering Desert by Henno Martin

    1

    The Sheltering Desert
    by Henno Martin

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

    2

    On the Origin of Species
    by Charles Darwin

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino

    3

    Cosmicomics
    by Italo Calvino

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Rare Earth by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee

    4

    Rare Earth
    by Peter Ward and Don Brownlee

  • Read
    The best books on Earth History - Chaos by James Gleick

    5

    Chaos
    by James Gleick

The best books on Earth History, recommended by Adam Maloof

Just as no one can study political science without a basic understanding of human history, or study a modern animal without a basic understanding of evolution, so no one can understand climate change without understanding the Earth’s history, argues the Princeton geology professor.

    The best books on Science and Climate Change, recommended by John Shepherd

  • Read
    The best books on Science and Climate Change - Fixing Climate by Robert Kunzig and Wallace S Broecker

    1

    Fixing Climate
    by Robert Kunzig and Wallace S Broecker

  • Read
    The best books on Science and Climate Change - Factor Four by Amory B Lovins and L Hunter Lovins & Ernst von Weizsacker

    2

    Factor Four
    by Amory B Lovins and L Hunter Lovins & Ernst von Weizsacker

  • Read
    The best books on Science and Climate Change - Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air by David J C MacKay

    3

    Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air
    by David J C MacKay

  • Read
    The best books on Science and Climate Change - Seeing Further by Edited by Bill Bryson

    4

    Seeing Further
    by Edited by Bill Bryson

  • Read
    The best books on Science and Climate Change - The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes

    5

    The Age of Wonder
    by Richard Holmes

The best books on Science and Climate Change, recommended by John Shepherd

The Research Fellow in Earth System Science at the British National Oceanography discusses Climate Change and promotes the use of geo-engineering to remove carbon from the atmosphere

    The best books on The Environment, recommended by Mark Lynas

  • Read
    The best books on The Environment - Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

    1

    Last Chance to See
    by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

  • Read
    The best books on The Environment - The Ages of Gaia by James Lovelocke

    2

    The Ages of Gaia
    by James Lovelocke

  • Read
    The best books on The Environment - Straw Dogs by John Gray

    3

    Straw Dogs
    by John Gray

  • Read
    The best books on The Environment - Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

    4

    Guns, Germs and Steel
    by Jared Diamond

  • Read
    The best books on The Environment - The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell

    5

    The Tipping Point
    by Malcom Gladwell

The best books on The Environment, recommended by Mark Lynas

The British author, journalist and environmental activist talks to us about climate change. Warns that mankind has become a global catastrophe and discusses books that reveal our impact on the planet

    The best books on Global Warming, recommended by Rosamund McDougall

  • Read
    The best books on Global Warming - Wild Borneo by Cede Prudente, Nick Garbutt

    1

    Wild Borneo
    by Cede Prudente, Nick Garbutt

  • Read
    The best books on Global Warming - The Rainbow by D. H. Lawrence

    2

    The Rainbow
    by D. H. Lawrence

  • Read
    The best books on Global Warming - The Limits to Growth by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

    3

    The Limits to Growth
    by Dennis L. Meadows, Donella H Meadows & Jorgen Randers

  • Read
    The best books on Global Warming - The Ultimate Resource 2 by Julian Lincoln Simon

    4

    The Ultimate Resource 2
    by Julian Lincoln Simon

  • Read
    The best books on Global Warming - Six Degrees by Mark Lynas

    5

    Six Degrees
    by Mark Lynas

The best books on Global Warming, recommended by Rosamund McDougall

The policy director for the Optimum Population Trust, the environmental think-tank, discusses books on Global Warming. Includes a volume on the wildlife of Borneo alongside DH Lawrence’s The Rainbow

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