Nature's Ally: A Memoir, How the Next Generation of Environmental Warriors Can Save Our Overheating Planet (Local Author)

by Robert Sulnick, 2026. Paperback, 360 pages.

"Bob Sulnick is the reason I became an ocean activist. He taught me the joy of taking action, which brings hope. Full of practical solutions for the next generation of environmental activists, this book is a must-read for anyone who recognizes that we're in a climate crisis." - Ted Danson

A gripping memoir that takes you from the world’s worst environmental disasters to the frontlines of global activism revealing how the next generation can fight climate change and win.

In 1984, Robert Sulnick stepped into the toxic smoke of the Bhopal gas disaster. It was a moment that changed his life-and the course of environmental law-forever.

Nature's Ally is the gripping firsthand account of a lifetime spent defending our planet. Through the rugged wilderness of Alaska to the halls of Congress, Sulnick has been at the center of the most critical environmental battles of our lifetime. He didn't just fight for the planet; he won. Forging unlikely alliances between celebrities, tribal leaders, and even the oil executives, he united all in defense of nature.

Part high-stakes legal memoir and part masterclass, this book offers a unique guidebook for the next generation of activists. Sulnick reveals how to bridge the gap between ideological divides and build the coalitions necessary to confront climate change today.

From fighting toxic waste in India and Central California, to protecting coastal habitats and oceans in Los Angeles, defending the Arctic from oil development, and saving rivers in New Mexico, this book is a retrospective on key environmental campaigns coupled with practical lessons to apply to today's global challenges:

• Rare looks into the aftermath of the Bhopal gas disaster and its legal legacy.
• Proven methods for coalition building and environmental lobbying.
• Behind-the-scenes accounts of fighting oil and water giants across the world.
• Practical wisdom on how to continue the fight for the long haul.

For anyone ready to act, this book proves how one person-and one movement-can truly change the future.

About the Author

Throughout his career, Robert Sulnick has been at the vanguard of environmental campaigning, applying his knowledge to influence significant changes in practice and policy. Actor Ted Danson and Sulnick co-founded the American Oceans Campaign, which Sulnick directed for ten years while promoting marine environmental protection. He has represented victims of Bhopal, India, and those impacted by hazardous waste dumps, bringing his vast expertise as an environmental lawyer and educator to the forefront.

Throughout the United States, Sulnick has built and collaborated with coalitions. He was the environmental director of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos in New Mexico, where he helped restore a coalition of environmental groups working to protect the Rio Grande.

Bob is a friend of ForestWatch and lives in Santa Barbara, California.