Saving the World

Winner of the Weyerhaeuser Award 2025 Saving the World tells the forgotten history of climatic botany, the idea that forests are essential for creating and recycling rain. Long before the spectre of global warming, societies recognized that deforestation caused drastic climate shifts – as early as 1770, concerns over deforestation spurred legislation to combat human-induced climate change. Throughout the twentieth century, climatic botany experienced fluctuating fortunes, influenced by technological advancements and evolving meteorological theories. Remarkably, contemporary scientists are rediscovering the crucial role of forests in rainfall recycling, unaware of the long history of climatic botany. This enlightening exploration is essential reading for anyone passionate about conserving the world’s forests and preserving our climate for future generations.