John Vidal Books

A timely and urgent investigation from John Vidal, Environment Editor of the Guardian for nearly thirty years, into how the destruction of nature is releasing disease into our societies'Urgent, fascinating and essential' GEORGE MONBIOT'A searing, vital work' BETTANY HUGHESCovid-19, mpox, bird flu, SARS, HIV, AIDS, Ebola; we are living in the Age of Pandemics - one that we have created. As the climate crisis reaches a fever pitch and ecological destruction continues unabated, we are just beginning to reckon with the effects of environmental collapse on our global health.Fevered Planet exposes how the way we farm, what we eat, the places we travel to and the scientific experiments we conduct create the perfect conditions for deadly new diseases to emerge and spread faster and further than ever. Drawing on the latest scientific research and decades of reporting from more than 100 countries, former Guardian environment editor John Vidal takes us into deep, disappearing forests in Gabon and the Congo, valleys scorched by wildfire near Lake Tahoe and our densest, polluted cities to show how closely human, animal and plant diseases are now intertwined with planetary destruction. He calls for an urgent transformation in our relationship with the natural world, and expertly outlines how to make that change possible.

The narrative centers on a pivotal trial that arose from a pamphlet criticizing McDonald's, leading to the longest legal battle in British history. The story follows the "McLibel Two," two activists who bravely defended themselves against a powerful corporation's libel claims. As they faced off against elite lawyers, the trial raised significant questions about the fast-food giant's practices, including exploitation and environmental impact. Ultimately, the verdict, perceived as a moral victory for the activists, highlighted the enduring struggle against corporate power.