Duckworth signs 'rising star' Shrikanth’s debut

Duckworth has signed Siddarth Shrikanth’s “uniquely accessible debut” on the climate crisis, The Business Case for Nature.

Rowan Cope, publisher, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Lorella Belli at the Lorella Belli Literary Agency. It is due to be published in summer 2023. 

The Business Case for Nature is a non-fiction work that focuses on solutions for the climate crisis. Shrikanth explores the arguments of protecting the natural world for its own sake and demonstrates that we must also understand the business case for the natural world. The proposal was a finalist for the 2020 Financial Times/McKinsey Bracken Bower Prize for a business book proposal by a young writer.

This is Shrikanth’s first book since graduating with a degree in biological sciences from the University of Oxford, working as a consultant for the World Bank and a Hong Kong-based correspondent for the Financial Times. 

“Siddarth Shrikanth’s passion, intelligence and commitment to conservation through innovation shine through in his brilliantly crafted argument for nature as a driver of the future economy as well as an exceptionally precious source of beauty and wonder in its own right," said Cope. "In the wake of COP26, our sights must be fixed on practical approaches to the climate emergency. In this fascinating book, Siddarth will make a persuasive case for how to co-opt business to protect, rather than harm, our most vital resource: nature. Siddarth is accomplished, networked and deeply engaged in this field, and we at Duckworth are immensely excited to welcome him to the list.”

“I am delighted to be working with Rowan and the team at Duckworth who have a long track record of publishing thoughtful and highly readable titles on the most important issues of the day," said Shrikanth. "I’m looking forward to collaborating to bring to life the business case for protecting our priceless planet.”