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Burnt

Fighting for Climate Justice

Chris Saltmarsh author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pluto Press

Published:20th Sep '21

Should be back in stock very soon

Burnt cover

In a time of escalating climate crises, the book emphasizes the need for collective action and challenges the political underpinnings of environmental issues, advocating for a transformative movement towards a just future.

In Burnt, Chris Saltmarsh addresses the escalating climate crisis, emphasizing the urgent need for a reimagined approach to tackling this pressing issue. The narrative highlights the alarming reality of climate change, illustrated by increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as wildfires and floods. Saltmarsh argues that the time for passive concern has passed; immediate and collective action is necessary to combat the environmental challenges we face today.

The author critiques the existing structures that have failed to address the climate emergency effectively, pointing out that the political dimensions of the crisis have often been overlooked. He questions the efficacy of technological solutions, like solar panels, when they operate within a capitalist framework that prioritizes profit over planetary health. By analyzing the shortcomings of various movements, including NGOs and activist groups like Extinction Rebellion, Saltmarsh underscores the need for a more radical and inclusive approach to climate activism.

Ultimately, Burnt serves as a rallying cry for activists to unite in pursuit of a just and ecosocialist future. Saltmarsh advocates for a transformative movement that not only seeks to mitigate the impacts of climate change but also aims to create a better world in the process. He emphasizes that real change requires taking power into our own hands, fostering a sense of hope amid the daunting challenges ahead. Through this powerful call to action, the book inspires readers to envision and work towards a more equitable and sustainable future.

'A brilliantly readable and absorbing analysis of the capitalist roots of climate breakdown, and an inspiring rallying cry for activists everywhere to work together to build a just, ecosocialist future'

-- Grace Blakeley, editor of 'Futures of Socialism' (Verso, 2020)

'Burnt takes us to the structural roots of climate injustice in colonialism, class, gender and race. But it goes beyond analysis. It is an activist guide on 'being the change you want to see' in times of climate catastrophe. Saltmarsh shows that the antidote to climate injustice is not depression or hopelessness but hope born from a struggle for justice'

-- Vandana Shiva, environmental activist and author

'Few people still deny that climate change is taking place, but who is to blame for the crisis? Chris Saltmarsh sets the record straight, explaining that the capitalist system that is to blame, and the fight for climate justice offers a way out. This rousing book demonstrates that by joining in solidarity with others fighting for a new society, we can remake the world for everyone rather than just the wealthy few'

-- Ashley Dawson, Professor of Postcolonial Studies in the English Department at the Graduate Center / City University of New York and the College of Staten Island, and author of 'People's Power: Reclaiming the Energy Commons' (O/R, 2020)

'A great contribution to unveiling the roots of our crisis, rich in storytelling drawing from Chris' deep experience in organising for a world that centres people and planet'

-- Harpreet Kaur Paul, Human rights lawyer

'From 'generation climate' to a transformative Green New Deal, this is a sure guide through the politics of environmental breakdown and why radical ambition is our safest path forward'

-- Mathew Lawrence, co-author of 'Planet on Fire: A Manifesto for the Age of Environmental Breakdown' (Verso, 2021) and Director of the think tank Common Wealth

'Accurately identifies the scale of the crisis facing us and offers strategic ideas for how we respond - a rallying cry in book form'

-- Callum Cant, author of 'Riding for Deliveroo' (Polity, 2019)

'Pushes the British climate movement to go further in their demands for ecological justice. Unlike many books about climate breakdown, this book understands the political and economic system that is holding us to ransom, and has a good idea of how to change it'

-- Sam Knights, activist and editor of 'This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook' (Penguin, 2019)

'Deftly draws upon his experiences in the student and Labour Party climate movements to provide a compelling analysis of how the climate movement must urgently pivot to take the capitalist system head on or fail'

-- Gaya Sriskanthan, co-chair of Momentum

'Leaves us with an empowering sense of our own agency to confront these [climate] crises'

-- Leon Sealey-Huggins, Assistant Professor of Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick

‘an absolute firecracker of a book: punchy, polemical and politically savvy’

-- ‘The Ecologis

ISBN: 9780745341828

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 12mm

Weight: 147g

160 pages