The system of Nature, of which humans are a part, tends to be self-balancing, self-adjusting, self-cleansing. Not so with technology.E. F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful, 1973

While some modern technologies can offer undeniable benefits to society and the environment, there are others whose negative impacts are greater than the problems they seek to solve. Most often this depends on how they are used.

Experience has shown with industrial agriculture, GE crops, agrofuels and biochar, that whenever technologies are driven by corporate interests that prioritise profits and corporate control over ethical, social and ecological justice, they become destructive.

The idea of Geo-Engineering is like devising ways to control smoke, avoid excessive heat and let the house keep burning.Dr Shahid Zia

We need to be alert to the potential conflicts of interest between certain innovative technologies and the uses to which they are put, all of which need to be guided by ethical considerations. Nanotechnology, geo-engineering and synthetic biology are some of the new technologies which the public and democratic processes need to monitor and challenge in order to avoid further ecological, social and economic inequities and disasters.

Our Work

Gaia works with a network of partners who enable us to identify emerging issues, research and monitor their potential or actual impact, and raise public and policy attention.

The Gaia Foundation's Blog: Geo-Engineering: a threat to Africa?