Ebury clinches Heap's 'groundbreaking' solutions for climate change

Witness Books has acquired an exploration of real-world solutions to climate change from journalist and presenter Tom Heap, backed by a BBC Radio 4 series and a foreword from Arnold Schwarzenegger.  

Albert DePetrillo, publishing director of the nature and environment imprint at Ebury, acquired world rights from the BBC and Patrick Walsh at PEW Literary. 39 Ways to Save the Planet will be published in hardback and e-book on 14th October 2021. 

39 Ways to Save the Planet accompanies a 40-part BBC Radio 4 series, presented by Heap, which was developed in collaboration with the Royal Geographic Society and began airing earlier this year. It examines some of the innovative projects tackling climate change around the world, and the inspiring people behind them, from tiny rice seeds that can grow in dry soil rather than methane-producing paddy fields, to fossil fuel-free steel production and carbon-capturing seagrass meadows.  

Witness Books dubbed the book as "groundbreaking". The publisher said: “With a foreword from Arnold Schwarzenegger, 39 Ways to Save the Planet is a book that reveals the energy and optimism of those facing up to the fundamental challenge of our age."

As well as being creator and presenter of "39 Ways to Save the Planet", Heap is also a regular presenter on BBC One's "Countryfile" and has made many BBC "Panorama" documentaries on food, energy and the environment. Tom also hosts BBC Radio 4's regular environment series "Costing the Earth". 

Heap said: “I first pitched this idea to BBC Radio 4 back in 2019 after 20 years of working in environment journalism, and thinking our successes in tackling climate change and the extraordinary people behind them were largely unknown. Fear and failure are familiar, victory and opportunity go unsung. So our series and every page of this book celebrates the amazing women and men who can halt climate change. These heroes are among us—they are working in labs and sea lochs, fields and factories, classrooms and courtrooms, each with a story of wit and determination.” 

DePetrillo said: “39 Ways to Save the Planet is the perfect book for the Witness list: a crisp, clear-eyed and accessible tour of the front lines of climate change, with a real message of hope. Tom has done a brilliant job bringing these inspiring stories to life, and I think his book that will resonate with anyone who wants to make a difference.”