ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
Books for Sustainability is CHARM‑EU’s World Book Day initiative (23 April) that brings our whole community together—students, alumni, staff and partners—to spark inspiration through reading. By sharing book recommendations, we celebrate stories that drive sustainability and empower collective change.
Books can inspire sustainable futures, hopeful alternatives, but they can also challenge us, unsettle us, and denounce sustainability crisis or shed light on overlooked environmental injustices.
What book inspires yours?
OBJECTIVES
- Strengthen community engagement.
- Promote sustainability literacy through reading.
- Increase the visibility of CHARM‑EU values.
- Build a sense of belonging through shared cultural resources.
Who can participate?
- Students (CHARM-EU and CHARM-EU partner universities)
- Alumni
- Academic staff
- Professional and administrative staff
- Stakeholders (sustainability offices, libraries, student associations, etc.)
How to participate?
- Choose a sustainability-related book (fiction or non-fiction)
- Take a photo of it (or a selfie with the book)
- Write a 150–200 character recommendation
- Add keywords, title/author, category
- Submit your book
- (Optional) Join the conversation by uploading the picture to your Instagram:
- tag @charmeu.eu
- add #BooksForSustainability #CHARMEUWorldBookDay
Topics and examples
Suggested topics: Food, Water, Energy & Smart Cities, AI, Climate Justice, Biodiversity, Circular Economy, Social Innovation
Explore our reading list
| Image | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
 | Über das unglückliche Leben der Regenwürmer | TITLE IN ENGLISH: On the Misfortune of Earthworms AUTHOR: Noemi Vola WHY THIS BOOK?: This book is about earthworms – greatly underestimated creatures that spend their lives eating dirt and pooping out better dirt, keeping farms productive and gardens alive. The Italian artist Noemi Vola tells us more about the worm’s daily life and struggles and in this way fosters our understanding for those animals. What is supposed to be a children’s book makes people of all ages happy - and the illustrations are incredibly cute! TAGS: Illustrated book, farms, gardens, earthworms, children's book Recommended by: Klara Schneider from the: Hochschule Ruhr West |
 | Venomous Lumpsucker | AUTHOR: Ned Beauman WHY THIS BOOK?: It is a very original eco-thriller: A hunt for an extinct fish turns into a corporate/environmental crime story.
Sustainability angle: Biodiversity loss, carbon markets, corporate exploitation. TAGS: eco-thriller Recommended by: Meritxell Chaves from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | Per què les dones salvaran el planeta | TITLE IN ENGLISH: Why women will save the planet AUTHOR: Various authors WHY THIS BOOK?: Through various speeches and interviews to women in multilateral institutions, activism or association, this book encourages de reader to reflect on how gender equality is vital to environmental sustainability, and empowering women is thus essential for effective climate action. Some ideas the collection advocate include replacing traditional growth models with a focus on care, local knowledge, and the intersectional struggles of ecofeminism, which links the exploitation of women and nature. TAGS: ecofeminism, intersectionality, degrowth Recommended by: Mireia Muns from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | The End of the Ocean | AUTHOR: Maja Lunde WHY THIS BOOK?: The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde explores the escalating global water crisis through intertwined narratives set in the present and near future. By depicting drought, climate migration, and conflict over scarce resources, it highlights the societal and environmental consequences of climate change and unsustainable resource use. The novel connects directly to SDGs such as Clean Water and Sanitation and Climate Action, emphasising water as a critical, finite resource. Its emotionally engaging storytelling fosters awareness of human vulnerability and resilience, encouraging reflection on environmental responsibility and the urgency of sustainable water management. TAGS: Water, scarce resources, climate change Recommended by: Ádám Tóth from the: Universiteit Utrecht |
 | The History of Bees | AUTHOR: Maja Lunde WHY THIS BOOK?: The History of Bees highlights the critical role of bees in ecosystems and human survival through an engaging, multi-generational narrative. Illustrating the consequences of bee decline, driven by climate change, habitat loss, and unsustainable practices, raises awareness of biodiversity loss and food security risks. Bees are essential pollinators that support ecosystems and agriculture, linking directly to SDGs such as Zero Hunger and Life on Land. The novel’s accessible storytelling fosters environmental consciousness and encourages reflection on human–nature interdependence. TAGS: Climate change, bees, agriculture Recommended by: Ádám Tóth from the: Universiteit Utrecht |
 | Parable of the Sower | AUTHOR: Octavia E. Butler WHY THIS BOOK?: Parable of the Sower, written in the 1980s and set in the 2020s, feels strikingly close to some present day developments in the U.S.A., particularly in its portrayal of climate stress, social fragmentation, and economic instability. The novel follows Lauren Olamina, who develops a belief system centered on adaptability and change while navigating a society shaped by resource scarcity and environmental decline. The narrative connects ecological crisis with social justice, resilience, and community building, asking what it takes to create livable futures under pressure. The book offers both a warning and a framework for thinking about transformation in times of systemic crisis. TAGS: science fiction, climate fiction, dystopia, social (in-)justice, resilience, change, adaptability Recommended by: Sonja Frisch from the: Hochschule Ruhr West |
 | Sustainable Learning – Inclusive Practices for 21st Century Classrooms | AUTHOR: Lorraine Graham ; Jeanette Berman ; Anne Bellert WHY THIS BOOK?: This is an essential guide that covers everything you need to know to implement sustainability at every level in training and education : "Learning for all, Teaching that matters, Learning that lasts". TAGS: Teaching and Learning, Sustainibility Recommended by: Patricia CUCCHI from the: Université de Montpellier |
 | The Serviceberry – An economy of gifts and abundance | AUTHOR: Robin Wall Kimmerer WHY THIS BOOK?: This book explores the idea of a fundamentally new perspective on human economy by looking at the interconnections and ecological relationships in nature. It thereby questions the notion that resources are scarce and hence the will always be competition about access and monetary incentives. Instead, it argues that all natural resources are abundant and that a gift economy would be much more sustainable. The book is hence a great introduction to different relevant concepts in sustainability, such as "ecosystem services" or "ecological economics". TAGS: ecology, economy, indigenous knowledge Recommended by: Nadja Simons from the: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg |
 | Temästarens bok | TITLE IN ENGLISH: The memory of water AUTHOR: Emmi Itäranta WHY THIS BOOK?: Global warming has changed the world's geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water. In the far north, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria's father tends, which once provided water for her whole village. TAGS: Novel, Dystopia Recommended by: Anna Granberg from the: Åbo Akademi University |
 | The Planet-friendly Kitchen | TITLE IN ENGLISH: The Planet-friendly Kitchen AUTHOR: Karen Edwards WHY THIS BOOK?: What I appreciated most is how approachable and practical the book feels. Sustainability can often seem complicated, but this book breaks it down into simple, manageable steps. It helps you understand what’s really behind the food you buy - what to choose, what to avoid, and how small changes in your kitchen can actually make a difference. It feels more like a friendly guide than a rulebook - something you can dip into whenever you need inspiration or a bit of reassurance. Recommended by: Zsuzsanna Bódai from the: Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem |
 | The Reindeer Chronicles | AUTHOR: Judith D. Schwartz WHY THIS BOOK?: The Reindeer Chronicles gives a hopeful view on how the most wounded places on earth across the world can still be restored. The book demonstrates how solutions to seemingly intractable problems can come from the unlikeliest of places, and how the restoration of local water, carbon, nutrient, and energy cycles can play a dramatic role in stabilizing the global climate. Ultimately, it reveals how much is in our hands if we can find a way to work together and follow nature’s lead. TAGS: sustainability, regeneration Recommended by: Freeke Jansen from the: Universiteit Utrecht |
 | The Ministry of the Future | AUTHOR: Kim Stanley Robinson WHY THIS BOOK?: The author is known for doing hard Science fiction. The settings were generally situated in the 2100-2200 and so on centuries. The far future.
Here, the story takes place from the Summer of 2024 to the 2070s. We see solutions being implemented, others already existing in the real world. From the rewildering initiatives to the création of a carboncoin backed by central Banks, so virutally impossible to short. An economic proposal made in 2017 by an economist.
This book saved me from my eco-anxiety. It gave me hope and some kind of a purpose. TAGS: Hope solutions pragmatic-optimism Recommended by: Hugo Godart from the: Université de Montpellier |
 | Arvejord | TITLE IN ENGLISH: Tangled Roots AUTHOR: Maria Turtschaninoff WHY THIS BOOK?: Arvejord (eng. Tangled Roots) is a quiet novel about generations bound to the same land. Through their lives, the novel explores the tension between traditional, sustainable ways of living and the pressures of modern exploitation. Nature is a source of power and richness, while at the same time a frail and vulnerable thing, reminding us that human survival depends on respecting ecological limits and caring for the land over time. TAGS: ecofiction, history Recommended by: Matias Dahlbäck from the: Åbo Akademi University |
 | On Time and Water | AUTHOR: Andri Snær Magnason WHY THIS BOOK?: The Icelandic author recounts the story of water and time through personal family histories, environmental conferences, climate research reports, and explorations—both from a personal and a scientific perspective. The book highlights the crucial importance of Earth’s water resources and how global warming threatens this delicate balance. Guiding the reader from Icelandic glaciers to the Himalayas, it draws attention to serious issues that urgently require solutions. An exceptionally engaging and thought-provoking volume. TAGS: water resources, water, glacier, global warming Recommended by: Ferenc Takó from the: Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem |
 | Antropocéano | AUTHOR: Cristina Romera WHY THIS BOOK?: AntropOcéano by Cristina Romera Castillo shows how human activity is transforming marine ecosystems through climate change, pollution, and overfishing, while stressing the ocean’s key role in regulating Earth’s climate. This connects directly to sustainability, as protecting the ocean is essential for maintaining biodiversity, food security, and climate balance. The book highlights that sustainable practices—such as reducing waste, conserving resources, and supporting marine protection—are crucial to preserving ocean health and ensuring a viable future for both ecosystems and humanity. TAGS: sustainability, water, ocean, climate change, biodiversity Recommended by: Cristina Galván from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | The Garden Against Time | AUTHOR: Olivia Laing WHY THIS BOOK?: In The Garden Against Time, Olivia Laing writes about the history of ‘the garden’ as a physical and cultural space, while describing the daily work in her own garden over the course of the seasons (almost meditatively working to rebuild this green space against the backdrop of covid, Trump, and climate change). She writes thoughtfully about the politics of the garden as a sanctuary (who can own and access green spaces?), and traces the idea of the garden as ‘paradise’ through time (including wonderful examples of queer subversions of the notion of paradise — in the form of actual gardens). I will freely admit: I have become a total garden-nerd since reading this book! TAGS: Non-fiction; memoir; gardens; culture; cultural history; botany; Recommended by: An Prudon from the: Universiteit Utrecht |
 | Birnam Wood | AUTHOR: Eleanor Catton WHY THIS BOOK?: Birnam Wood is an eco-thriller about what happens when heartfelt principles meet obscene wealth. Meet Mira Bunting, who together with her friends, has founded an activist guerilla gardening collective: Birnam Wood. They are struggling financially, but that all changes when Mira meets a mysterious billionaire who manufactures drones. Recommended by: Sylvia den Hengst from the: Universiteit Utrecht |
 | A Plam for the Wild-Built | AUTHOR: Becky Chambers WHY THIS BOOK?: The "A Monk and Robot" duology is a novella exploring sustainability, consciousness, and purpose. It follows tea monk Sibling Dex and robot Mosscap on a journey through a post-industrial, rewilded moon in a utopian future where technology is integrated with nature, offering a "hopepunk" meditation on environmental balance and companionship. TAGS: fiction, science fiction, fantasy, solarpunk, LGTBIQA+, utopia Recommended by: Mireia Via Nadal from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | The Word for World is Forest | AUTHOR: Ursula K. Le Guin WHY THIS BOOK?: This book is a seminal work of eco-fiction, exploring the catastrophic impact of colonialism and deforestation on an alien world. It highlights the contrast between the sustainable, indigenous culture who live in harmony with its forested planet, and the destructive exploitation by human settlers seeking to exploit wood resources. TAGS: Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, Ecology, Colonisation Recommended by: Mireia Via Nadal from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | The Fifth Season | AUTHOR: N. K. Jemisin WHY THIS BOOK?: N.K. Jemisin’s "The Broken Earth" trilogy ("The Fifth Season" being the first book) explores sustainability through a post-apocalyptic, environmental justice lens, portraying a fictional world where chronic, human-induced climate change —or "Fifth Seasons"— forces a brutal, unsustainable existence. The series links ecological destruction with systemic social inequality, showing how environmental abuse and societal oppression are intertwined. TAGS: Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, LGTBIQA+ Recommended by: Mireia Via Nadal from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | Sobre los huesos de los muertos | TITLE IN ENGLISH: Drive your plow over the bones of the dead AUTHOR: Olga Tokarczuk WHY THIS BOOK?: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead has been described as a “feminist ecothriller,” offering a provocative exploration of the blurred boundaries between sanity and madness, justice and tradition, autonomy and fate. At its core, the novel asks a pressing question: Who is worthy of a voice?
Set in a remote Polish village, the story delves into the complexities of human nature through the perspective of Janina Duszejko, an eccentric woman in her sixties who narrates the events following the disappearance of her two beloved dogs. Reclusive and unconventional, Janina prefers the company of animals to people, places her trust in astrology, and treasures the poetry of William Blake—whose work inspires the book’s title. Written by Nobel Prize–winning author Olga Tokarczuk, this novel is a brisk yet thought‑provoking journey guided by an unusual narrator who invites us to empathise with her deep concern for the environment and the welfare of animals. TAGS: #ecofeminism #nature #thriller Recommended by: Laia Alonso from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | Silent spring | TITLE IN ENGLISH: Silent Spring AUTHOR: Rachel Carson WHY THIS BOOK?: Can a book change the world? Rachel Carson’s 1962 work did just that. By revealing the harmful effects of chemical pesticides like DDT, she sparked a global awareness that fueled the rise of the modern environmental movement and ultimately led to restrictions on these products. A foundational and inspiring read for anyone interested in sustainability. TAGS: #Environment #contamination #pesticides #DDT #health Recommended by: Bibiana Bonmati from the: Universitat de Barcelona |
 | La Pared / The Wall | AUTHOR: Marlen Haushofer WHY THIS BOOK?: The Wall is a landmark of ecofeminism because it strips away the "man-made" world to reveal a deeper connection to the Earth. At the same time, the narrative forces you to "slow down" to the pace of the seasons. The author replaces the frantic "clock-time" of modern life with "natural-time." As a reader, the author makes you feel the fresh air from the mountains or the tension before a storm. TAGS: #ecofeminism #zerowaste #nature Recommended by: Blanca Burillo Lago from the: Universitat de Barcelona |