Together, GAIA members across the globe are moving humanity towards a zero waste future that’s fair for all. Through the exchange of deeply-rooted community knowledge, our network is able to create democratized zero waste solutions founded on both research and on-the-ground expertise.
AFRICA
GAIA in Africa strives to shift the narrative on plastic pollution, challenge incineration, promote zero waste and demand climate justice.
Waste Energy Has No Place in Africa
Making Waste Work. The South African Waste Picker’s Association’s Success Stories
ASIA-PACIFIC
GAIA’s work in Asia Pacific is focused on spotlighting and providing support for the many innovative and on-the-ground zero waste solutions.
Route to Zero Waste. A Flood-Prone City Show’s How It’s Done
EUROPE
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE), GAIA’s European branch works on a wide range of projects and policy areas with a single objective: advancing the zero waste future for Europe.
LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN
Our work aims to both address the current inadequate waste management in the region that results in inequality, abuses and exploitation, and implement zero waste solutions that help overcome these injustices.
Inclusion of Waste Pickers in Zero Waste Programs: The Case of Buenos Aires City
Integral System for Waste Management: The Futaleufú Experience
UNITED STATES & CANADA
GAIA’s work in the U.S. and Canada began in the early 2000s, when a wave of incinerator proposals hit the region. Today we continue to work at the intersection of social and environmental issues.
U.S. Municipal Solid Waste Incinerators: An Industry in Decline
All Talk and No Recycling: An Investigation of the U.S. “Chemical Recycling” Industry
A Global community
Latest Resources
Submission to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to development on participation in development and peace for development
Representatives from civil society and Indigenous Peoples must be given direct access to environmental decision-making. This includes access to international negotiations on environmental agreements, regional and national discussions that shape environmental policies. This submission provides more details on what this participation must look like in practice.
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Memoria GAIA América Latina y el Caribe 2025
Se cumple un nuevo año de trabajo y fortalecimiento de nuestro movimiento, superando ya los 25 años de colaboración y acción ininterrumpida. Debemos sentirnos orgullosos de haber logrado sostener ese tejido con espíritu de resistencia, convicción, creatividad, autocrítica y enorme aprecio mutuo.
Aunque a veces podamos sentirnos frágiles en un mundo complejo, nuestra alianza es mucho más que la suma de partes, y confiamos en que su sola existencia nos fortalece y nos nutre.
Les invito a continuar encarnando lo que el nombre de nuestra organización representa: GAIA entendida como un gran organismo vivo, interdependiente, donde todas sus partes son igualmente importantes para mantener su corazón latiendo.
Este año, nuestra experiencia acumulada y nuestra fuerza creativa nos permitieron dar pasos concretos hacia la implementación de sistemas basura cero en los territorios. Continuemos en ese esfuerzo para seguir nutriendo de esperanza y entusiasmo a nuestras comunidades. ¡Otro mundo es posible!
Magdalena Donoso
Coordinadora regional
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Related Resources
De los datos a la acción: Guía para usar la base de datos anti-incineración
Esta base de datos nace como una respuesta colectiva frente a la creciente ola de proyectos que promueven falsas soluciones para la gestión de residuos en América Latina y otras regiones del Sur Global. Incineradoras, plantas de “waste to energy”, co-procesamiento en cementeras o reciclaje químico, se presentan como respuestas técnicas modernas, pero en la práctica reproducen impactos profundos y desiguales sobre los territorios, las comunidades y los sistemas públicos de gestión de residuos.
En este contexto, las organizaciones sociales, ambientales y comunitarias no pueden enfrentar estos proyectos únicamente desde la indignación o la urgencia del conflicto, por más legítimas que estas emociones sean. La experiencia en los territorios ha demostrado que quienes impulsan estas tecnologías se amparan en lenguajes técnicos, estudios fragmentados y marcos regulatorios complejos que buscan desplazar el debate hacia terrenos donde las comunidades o siempre cuentan con herramientas suficientes para responder.
Esta base de datos surge, entonces, para equilibrar esa asimetría, poniendo al alcance de las organizaciones evidencia científica, académica y técnica que permita sostener las luchas desde argumentos sólidos, verificables y contextualizados.
El objetivo no es reemplazar la experiencia territorial ni despolitizar los conflictos, sino articular el conocimiento técnico con la realidad vivida. La quema de residuos no es solo un problema ambiental, tiene impactos económicos, sociales, sanitarios y políticos que se entrecruzan. Afectan presupuestos públicos, redefine modelos de desarrollo local, afectan la salud de las comunidades, debilitan el trabajo del movimiento reciclador y consolidan decisiones tomadas sin participación real.
Esta base de datos busca ofrecer una mirada integral de estos impactos, demostrando que las falsas soluciones no pueden evaluarse de forma aislada, sino como parte de un modelo que profundiza desigualdades y sacrifica territorios en nombre de la eficiencia.
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RIGGING THE NUMBERS: Questions and Answers on Biogenic Carbon in Waste and Climate Change
This brief Q&A explains why biogenic CO2 is not inherently climate-neutral, how IPCC inventory guidance is frequently misinterpreted to justify these exclusions, and how waste facilities must report biogenic carbon emissions as well as fossil carbon emissions.
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Lutter contre les émissions de méthane des décharges grâce à la justice environnementale
Le présent rapport décrit les risques liés aux approches habituelles (« Business As Usual » ou BAU) en matière de réduction des émissions de méthane provenant des décharges et plaide en faveur d’une réponse durable et axée sur la justice. Il s’appuie sur des données internationales, sur les tendances politiques actuelles et sur l’expérience des communautés pour identifier les solutions efficaces et inefficaces en matière de fermeture des décharges et de gestion des déchets organiques.
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Le zéro déchet comme stratégie climatique efficace : éviter les compromis de réchauffement liés à l’incinération
Le présent rapport évalue les impacts à long terme sur le réchauffement climatique de trois stratégies de gestion des déchets : les pratiques basées sur l’élimination classique (« Business As Usual » ou BAU) comme la mise en dépotoir ou en décharge, l’incinération et les pratiques zéro déchet comme le tri à la source ou le traitement des déchets organiques et des déchets recyclables. L’analyse se concentre sur trois contextes urbains, à savoir Lagos (Nigeria), Barueri (Brésil) et Quezon City (Philippines), et calcule les impacts prévus sur la température pour chacune des stratégies jusqu’en 2060 à l’aide de l’outil d’estimation des émissions des déchets solides (SWEET) et du modèle climatique FaIR (Finite Amplitude Impulse Response).
Reducing food waste at the local level
Zero Waste Europe, together with Slow Food created a briefing, aimed at providing support to local municipalities to help reduce food waste through a holistic approach enabling the transition towards a sustainable food system.
The guidance outlines the various actions that a municipality can implement to influence food waste reduction and stimulate its sustainable local food system. The guidance highlights examples of how similar policies have been successfully implemented throughout Europe.
Comprehensive Guidance for effective bio-waste management in the EU
The LIFE BIOBEST Comprehensive Guidance presents key policy recommendations to strengthen the EU legal framework for bio-waste management. Drawing from extensive research and stakeholder consultation, this document outlines three interconnected areas for improvement: boosting effective models for separate collection and recycling, promoting reliable markets for compost and digestate, and enhancing monitoring and enforcement of bio-waste regulations.
The guidance provides concrete policy measures to help close the gap between current practices and potential capture rates, addressing the fact that only 26% of kitchen waste is currently collected separately in the EU. It proposes specific legally binding targets, economic instruments, and monitoring requirements to support the EU’s transition toward more efficient bio-waste management and healthier soils.
Validated by 21 stakeholders representing 13 entities from across Europe, this document serves as a roadmap for EU policymakers working to improve bio-waste management.
A summary video presenting the key recommendations is available with subtitles in 11 EU languages.
Fighting climate change, one bio-waste bin at a time – how the #ForkToFarm project supports Montenegro’s environmental transition
In this interactive case study, we try to bring to life the work led by our member Zero Waste Montenegro during the #ForkToFarm project between 2024-25.
Montenegro continues to face significant pressure when it comes to its waste management, with organic waste central to this challenge as it represents around 40% of Montenegro’s waste stream. Most municipalities lack operational capacity and sufficient infrastructure for proper organic waste management. But this challenge is also an opportunity, given the speed at which decentralised, community-driven solutions can be implemented at a low cost to local authorities.
This case study combines data and qualitative analysis with visual footage and content of the work done by Zero Waste Montenegro over the last 2 years to improve the amount of organic waste which is composted rather than landfilled in its partner communities, which includes the capital city, Podgorica. It showcases the first working examples of decentralised organic waste solutions and their successful impact, with videos and interviews with the leaders behind these progressive policies.
NDC Tracker
GAIA’s NDC Tracker aims to provide quick data and country profiles through the lens of the Environmental Justice Principles for Fast Action on Waste and Methane, which guides policymakers on how to craft programs and policies for tackling methane that can also help address interconnected equity issues. With this tracker, we hope to support communities with monitoring country-level commitments and progress, identifying gaps and opportunities to advance this critical agenda.
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Infografía | Mosca soldado negra: una alternativa poco conocida en América Latina
La larva de la mosca soldado negra es una alternativa poco conocida en América Latina, pero con un enorme potencial. Usada de forma controlada, convierte residuos orgánicos en proteína para alimentación animal y en biomasa que mejora los suelos.
Impulsar sistemas comunitarios de cría es una oportunidad ambiental, social y económica.
Fuente: Black Soldier Fly Biowaste Processing, Eawag – Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 2021.
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Community Guide to Dealing with an Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Facility
This new community guide offers practical steps to empower frontline communities and workers in navigating the complexities of battery recycling, understanding the health implications, and questions to ask for participating in decision-making processes. This guide is intended to support communities across the globe that are facing a new battery recycling facility proposal or dealing with impacts of an existing project.