Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives

GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries. With our work we aim to catalyze a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. GAIA aims to power a transition away from our current linear and extractive economy and towards a circular system that supports people’s right to a safe and healthy environment. This entails fighting pollution and building regenerative solutions in cities through local campaigns, shifts in policy and finance, research and communication initiatives, and movement building. We work on four primary points of intervention: incineration, zero waste, plastic, and climate.

GAIA advocates for mainstream adoption of zero waste systems in cities and municipalities, and supports successful zero waste plans and programs as well as our members who engage in city processes. We shift policy and finance towards demonstrable zero waste solutions in national, regional, and global policy spaces, such as the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, challenging our leaders to fight plastic pollution at its source and secure policies that reduce production and consumption of single-use plastics around the world. We also bolster grassroots campaigns that shut down existing incinerators and other burn technologies, prevent the development of new ones, and support frontline communities organizing against waste and pollution. 

GAIA builds climate solutions in cities worldwide by working with community leaders to implement waste and climate action plans that create jobs and reduce emissions throughout the economy. We strengthen the movement for climate justice from the bottom up, and demonstrate the positive climate impacts of zero waste solutions in order to shift policy.