GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries whose ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration.
We work both against incinerators and for safe, sustainable and just alternatives. Our name reflects this dual purpose:
- The Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance: Mobilizing grassroots action against the spread of incinerators and other polluting, end-of-pipe waste technologies.
- The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives: Building the movement for environmental justice, local green economies, and creative zero waste solutions.
We recognize that our planet’s finite resources, fragile biosphere and the health of people and other living beings are endangered by polluting and inefficient production practices and health-threatening disposal methods. Because of this, we oppose incinerators, landfills, and other end-of-pipe interventions. Our goal is clean production and the creation of a closed-loop, materials-efficient economy where all products are reused, repaired or recycled.
GAIA’s greatest strength lies in its membership, which includes some of the most active leaders in environmental health and justice struggles internationally. Worldwide, we are demonstrating how to stop incinerators, address climate change and environmental injustice, and implement zero waste alternatives. GAIA’s members work through a combination of grassroots organizing, strategic alliances, and creative approaches to local economic development.
As an alliance, GAIA strongly believes in maintaining a lean core structure. Our coordination team and steering committee aim to create opportunities for collective engagement. As a global alliance rooted in an active membership, we seek to ensure that the result of our individual victories is transformed into something greater than the sum of its parts.
Read more about GAIA from our official website.