The idea of creating the Gaia Foundation emerged in the mid-1980s when Liz Hosken, Edward Posey, José Lutzenberger, Wangari Maathai, Vandana Shiva and other ecological pioneers, met to discuss the growing global crises after four decades of development - mass extinction of species, ecological degradation, social and economic inequity, and more. Our common vision was both to alert people to the root causes of the crises and also to demonstrate that "another way is possible".

At the heart of Gaia's philosophy is the recognition that, as Einstein said, we cannot solve the problems we face with the same thinking that created them. We can see that our lives in the so-called developed parts of the world - in the north and the south - have succumbed to an uncritical belief in an ever-expanding economic system which needs people to keep consuming more , resulting in a materialism unprecedented in the life of our planet. Consequently, the prevailing ethos assumes that our living Earth and all her infinitely varied species may be treated as "resources" to be exploited for human needs. This turns 'subjects' into 'objects', and objects into commodities to be bought and sold, a process which extends the 'market economy' into all areas of life - land ,water , genes , and now carbon . What next?

Some of the main periods and highlights in our work over the last three decades, which show that another way is possible, are outlined below.

The Early Years: Indigenous People and the Amazon

Our journey in the Amazon began when José Lutzenberger, known as the father of the Brazilian Environmental Movement, introduced Gaia to two leaders of the Forest Peoples Alliance - Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper who was later assassinated, and Ailton Krenak, an indigenous leader . This led to an intense period of work together and the establishment of many of the guiding principles of Gaia's work - such as Ailton's vision for the need to build "an affectionate alliance" as the basis of any long-term working relationship.

An Amazon Network emerged out of this work, which covered Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela. Through this work Gaia met Martín von Hildebrand who was at the time Head of Indigenous Affairs in Colombia. This was the beginning of another long-commitment, through which more guiding principles and methodologies evolved. These form the basis of Gaia's work with partners elsewhere, especially in Africa today.

International Negotiations: Biodiversity, Farmers' and Community Rights

In the mid-1990s many of Gaia's Associates and Advisors recognised the need to engage in international negotiations in order to challenge the corporate lobby which was promoting genetically modified plants and animals and the patenting of life.

Gaia committed to work intensely with Dr. Tewolde Berhan Egziabher from the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Genetic Resources International (GRAIN) to identify and support a strong group of African negotiators, to promote farmers' rights and community rights, and support their contribution to enhancing diversity.

By the end of the 1990s, Dr Tewolde was spokesperson for the G77 on behalf of Africa in some of the negotiating fora. The Africa Group had changed the dynamics in the negotiations, by holding strong principled positions, such as 'No' to patents on life. However, the corporate lobby retaliated, and, under the pressure of commercial interests, many governments backed down on positions which would have protected our biological and cultural commons.

Since 1999, Gaia and our partners began to focus more concertedly on work to strengthen civil society alliances to uphold ethical positions. Unsurprisingly, the corporate lobby has continued its stronghold on governments. For example, the Biosafety Protocol, which was formed to establish strict controls on genetically modified organisms, is now virtually controlled by the GMO industries. They "assist" countries to write their biosafety laws, which in practice means that the countries are opened up to GMO crops.

Africa: Reviving Biological and Cultural Diversity

During the last decade Gaia continued to work with partners in the Amazon and in Africa, such as Wangari Maathai (GBM) and Irwin Friedman (Valley Trust), and others. In 2002 Gaia supported a meeting of groups who had been working together loosely as an African Network. At this meeting the African Biodiversity Network (ABN) was formalised.

Thus began an intense journey in search of African solutions to African challenges, with a commitment to "decolonise the mind". By this time Thomas Berry, who was promoting the need for an Earth Jurisprudence, had influenced many people in the network, who dedicated themselves to revive Africa's indigenous cultural and ecological systems of governance. The " Botswana experience" emerged out of this commitment with the aim of supporting an African leadership to pioneer African solutions. Gaia was encouraged to develop the Colombian Amazon exchange, where these African leaders could learn from the Colombian experience. This has born very rich fruit in the form of many new small indigenous African organisations pioneering similar work in their own countries.

Nurturing a Global Network to Build a Critical Mass

As this journey shows, a global network has emerged over the years, as partners from across the planet have met through cultural exchanges or advocacy events, or at Gaia House in London. Many partners, including Gaia, have established learning centres to inspire a wider audience.

Gaia House has become what some call "their Embassy" in Europe - a base, a place to rest or from which to reach out to the world.

We invite you to learn more about our Areas of Work, our Partners, our unique Gaia approach, and to join us for one of our Gaia Events.