Porritt to write for S&S on climate emergency

Simon & Schuster UK is to publish Hope in Hell: Confronting the Climate Emergency by environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt. 

Non-fiction editorial director Fritha Saunders bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Annabel Merullo at PFD, with the book set for publication in June 2020.

Hope in Hell is described as "an urgent call to action for those keen to understand the challenges we face and, just as importantly, to know what can be done to avoid a climate catastrophe".

Just as climate change is accelerating, so too must we – summoning up a greater sense of urgency, courage and shared endeavour than humankind has ever seen before, S&S says. Porritt "believes we have time to do what needs to be done, but only if we move now – and move together. In this ultimately hopeful book, he explores all these reasons to be hopeful: new technology; the power of innovation; the mobilisation of young people – and a sense of intergenerational solidarity as older generations come to understand their own obligation to secure a safer world for their children and grandchildren." 

Porritt commented: ‘The voice of young people in today’s Climate Emergency is ringing out loud and clear: we are betraying their hopes and dreams. But our collective political response is still woefully inadequate. If we’re to avoid the hellish horrors of runaway climate change (and I remain wholly persuaded that we still can), then we will have to summon up unprecedented political pressure to force the politicians to do what is now so urgently required. Having left things so late, that is the sole source of any authentic hope today.’

Saunders said: "I’m incredibly proud to be publishing Jonathon’s important and urgent book. This is the biggest crisis of our time and as many of us oscillate between feeling hopeless or preferring to stay in denial, this book will help us to face what lies ahead and feel optimistic about our ability to address the climate emergency." 

Porritt's prominent career in environmentalism has included the roles of chair of The Ecology Party (now the Green Party) and director of Friends of the Earth. He was made a CBE in 2000.