The World We Made author - Jonathon Porritt

The World Loves The World We Made

Jonathon Porritt's positive take on the future of our planet finds an approving audience across the globe

It's only just been published, but already Jonathon Porritt's new Phaidon book, The World We Made, has been heralded as an important re-framing of the ecological future of our planet, not only in Jonathon's home country Britain, but across the world.

“Based on extensive research, leading environmentalist Jonathon Porritt presents a compelling and credible road map to a truly sustainable future,” says the Guardian. “Porritt's vision inspires confidence in our ability to change the world – if we act now.”

 

Urban farming, as considered in The World We Made
Urban farming, as considered in The World We Made

Fast Company meanwhile, says “Porritt presents a future that’s rosy without being far-fetched, where every house is water-efficient and we're all BFFs with our robots.” And io9.com, focussing on the graphic representation, said “Porritt teamed up with designers and illustrators to create beautiful illustrations and infographics, detailing this better tomorrow.”

The New Zealand Herald, meanwhile, has described Porritt as an “esteemed environmentalist”, and took tips from him on everything from small business advice to fossil fuels. Australia's ABC News Breakfast broadcast Jonathon's wise words on the ecological role of family planning and planned parenthood. In the US, CBS News' Charlie Rose was relieved to hear that Porritt's predictions included “lots of growth, lots of jobs” as well as environmental security.

 

Renewable energy in The World We Made
Renewable energy in The World We Made

Meanwhile, the former US Vice President, Al Gore tweeted the book as a “Hopeful & insightful look at our future”. And Richard Branson -  never one to miss a business opportunity -  tweeted, “What will @Virgin look like in 2050? How about Virgin Zeppelins?”

Yet Branson's interest runs much deeper, and has set aside these personal pages on his website to reflect on how he and his business might be faring in 2050. More publicly, Branson has been effusive in his praise for The World We Made, saying, “Jonathon Porritt's book dreams big, as if our future depends on it. And it does.”

 

Jonathon Porrit on CBS This Morning
Jonathon Porrit on CBS This Morning

Actress and author Joanna Lumley, joins him by saying “'I am absolutely bowled over by the brilliance of The World We Made. Its far-sightedness and complete grasp of all the challenges the world is going to face is one thing; to write this charming, easy, accessible, optimistic vision, is really something else.'”

Author and psychologist Oliver James concurs, saying it is “A brilliant evocation of how it could turn out right for us by 2050!”

Australian environmentalist and politician Bob Brown writes that “Jonathon Porritt does not avoid calamity, nor does he cave in to Doomsday. His crystal ball throws light on the world of our grandchildren. Uplifting stuff from the pen of one of the world's great futurologists!'

 

Jonathon Porritt signing the board in the CBS studios
Jonathon Porritt signing the board in the CBS studios

The restaurateur and broadcaster Prue Leith says “'Only Jonathon Porritt could have produced such an imaginative but believable book about sustainability. Alex Mackay's account of how, by 2050, human ingenuity has cracked it, makes me wish I was going to live to see it.

Finally, the American ecologist and journalist Bill McKibben says “'Jonathon Porritt has found both the facts and the spirit required for imagining the future!"

If you're keen to find out just why the book has been so well received, do buy a copy from the people who made it. And if you sign up to our Phaidon Club  we'll reward you with points, and let you in on exclusive offers and author events including some with Jonathon. Find out more about this here. But buy the book - it might just change your life.