REPORT: Agrofuels & the Myth of the Marginal Lands

A critical look at proposals for agrofuel crops to be planted on lands that are considered "idle" or "wastelands". In most cases, these "marginal lands'" are vital for the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, pastoralists, women
and indigenous peoples.

"We strongly challenge the myth that there is plenty of free land, going spare, in Africa. 70% of Africa’s land is still communally owned. This makes us particularly vulnerable to biofuel developments that seek to privatise land and remove communities from their source of livelihood." (statement from the African Biodiversity Network to EU MEPs, 2008)

Download a briefing on "Agrofuels & the Myth of the Marginal Lands", and the dangers of how policy-makers are defining “marginal” lands.

REPORT: Sacred Sites - An Overview

For many years Gaia has worked with partner organizations, local and indigenous communities, to revive cultural identity and ecological practices, and to protect sacred sites.

Download an abridged version of Sacred Sites: An Overview, by Anthony Thorley and Celia M Gunn, for an introduction to documented materials and advances on sacred sites and their role in conserving bio-cultural diversity. [For a copy by email- 1kb pdf - please contact Fiona. The full report will be available online soon].

At the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress, Gaia and partners joined the call to "recognize the rights, the skills and the knowledge that local and indigenous custodians and mainstream faith communities have in managing the resources and ecosystems associated with sacred natural sites". Read more.

Resurgence magazine: special editions on Indigenous Intelligence and Climate-Biodiversity-Livelihoods

View the special edition of Resurgence (Sept/Oct 2008) on Indigenous Intelligence: Diverse Solutions for the 21st Century. This 250th issue - a cause for celebration! - looks at bio-cultural diversity and indigenous responses to the challenges we face.

In March 2008, Gaia teamed up with Resurgence Magazine to produce a special feature on Climate-Biodiversity-Livelihoods. Visionary thinkers from all over the world call for a more profound response to climate change, supporting our 12-point action plan on how to integrate biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods into climate strategies.

Order copies online or subscribe now.

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Job Vacancy

Head of Finance. Please download the candidate information and application form, or contact our recruitment advisor, Allyson Davies, on 020 7828 3855. Deadline for applications, 24th November.

Gaia Learning Centre

Workshops and evenings, to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world and influence the choices we make in our daily lives. 2009 programme available soon.

Earth Ethics Series

Summaries from recent Gaia Evenings.

A Nutritional Approach to AIDS and other Diseases - by Ian Marks

Africa's Indigenous People and Climate Change - by Nigel Crawhill

Zero Carbon Britain - by Peter Harper


Earth is Community - DVDs
A set of DVDs celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry, from our Earth is Community event in 2007.