Have you heard that you should go vegan to save the planet? Or carbon offset your flight to mitigate its effects? Or invest in an ethical pension plan? What if you were told that such actions make little difference at all?
In Saving the Planet Without the Bullshit, Assaad argues that for too long green activism has been unfocused and distracted, trying to go in too many directions, focussing on individual behaviour. But all these things, are dwarfed by the one big thing that simply has to happen, very soon: namely, massively curtailing the activities of the hydrocarbon and petrochemicals industry. Full of counter-intuitive statistics and positive suggestions for individual and collective action, this ingenious book will profoundly change how you view the climate crisis.
Assaad Razzouk is a Lebanese-British clean energy entrepreneur, author, podcaster and commentator. He co-founded and runs a clean energy company headquartered in Singapore, financing, building and operating renewable energy projects in Asia; as well as a not-for-profit Singapore start-up, digitising and democratising renewable energy. With his hands-on experience in renewable energy combined with his other roles, Assaad is a high-profile thought leader on climate change, clean energy and the UN climate talks with several hundred thousand followers on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and widely read occasional newspaper columns.
"Fast paced and energetic, this is a very readable book with myriad interesting facts [...] ultimately it is successful in forcing us to focus more sharply on the bigger picture"
– Financial Times
"A real breath of fresh air. Punchy, provocative and wonderfully readable. Assaad Razzouk not only shares his knowledge and experience, he also allows his impatience to shine through. The result is exactly the kind of no-nonsense clarity that's too often lacking in the climate agenda."
– David Shukman, former BBC News Science Editor
"If you're in any doubt about the duplicity, the obfuscation and the lies – just the sheer extent of the fight being waged by Big Oil to keep us hooked on fossil fuels – Assaad Razzouk's eye-popping and essential book will sort you out."
– Rowan Hooper, Podcast Editor, New Scientist
"Saving the Planet Without the Bullshit is a refreshing and provocative look at what needs to happen to overcome the climate crisis. A must-read for anyone concerned about avoiding the climate catastrophe."
– Peter Stott, author of Hot Air
"Beautifully written and very approachable. Saving the Planet Without the Bullshit covers many of the key issues facing the world with an easy comprehensibility and substantial research."
– Chris Goodall, author of What We Need to Do Now: For a Zero Carbon Future