Our History
Anne Petermann and Orin Langelle, activists with decades of experience in the environmental and social justice movements, on local, national and international fronts, founded GJEP in 2003.
They saw the need for a project grounded in understanding that environmental degradation, war, the destruction of civil rights and liberties, and economic and social injustice were not isolated, and needed to be addressed at their common root causes.
Our Mission and Vision
Global Justice Ecology Project (GJEP) is dedicated to exploring and exposing the interconnected root causes of social injustice, ecological destruction, and economic domination. GJEP envisions a world in which all societies are justly and equitably organized with full participation by an engaged and informed populace–and which exist in harmony with the natural world and with one another.
Our mission is driven by two key strategies:
(1) prioritizing campaigns that serve as critical leverage points for advancing systemic change;
(2) linking struggles and strengthening movements through strategic action, information, and analysis.
Our Principles
At GJEP, we believe in the fundamental equality of all peoples and the intrinsic value of the natural world. Our work is guided by the following core principles:
- Confronting oppression: We challenge power elites and amplify the voices of the most marginalized and least powerful.
- Championing diversity and equal rights: We work to break down barriers, fostering common goals and shared ideas for collective liberation.
- Cooperation over competition: We prioritize grassroots power and collaboration to build movements for justice and systemic transformation.
Our Philosophy of Activism
- Uncompromising stance: We hold ourselves to high standards and maintain a clear, principled approach.
- Holistic analysis: We make systemic connections to understand the full scope of social and environmental issues.
- Building trust with Indigenous Peoples: We cultivate strong, accountable relationships with Indigenous Peoples, their communities and their organizations.
- Strategic Action: We view strategic action as essential for creating meaningful change.
- Efficiency and effectiveness: We focus our resources to maximize our outcomes.
- Winning: Above all, we are committed to mobilizing support and solidarity to secure victories for communities in struggle.
Key Accomplishments
Stop GE Trees Campaign
- Created and led a major international campaign against GE trees, which has so far successfully prevented their large-scale commercial release
- Organized historic week of action at the international Tree Biotechnology 2013 conference in Asheville, NC in May 2013–including several arrests and the largest ever protest against GE trees
- Won a decision from the UN Convention on Biological Diversity warning countries of the social and ecological dangers of GE trees
- Assembled a legal team to challenge USDA approval of GE eucalyptus trees,which is discouraging investment and prevented GE tree company ArborGen from going public on the NASDAQ in April 2011, leading to the replacement of its executive staff in January 2012
- Consulted on the creation of an award-winning documentary “A Silent Forest:The Growing Threat, Genetically Engineered Trees,” narrated by internationally renowned geneticist Dr. David Suzuki.
- Brought major media attention to the dangers of GE trees, including a front-page story in the Washington Post, and articles/features in the New York Times, Bloomberg News, Christian Science Monitor, Charlotte Observer, Memphis Appeal, NPR’s Living on Earth program, and Jim Hightower Radio, among numerous others
- Cited frequently by industry leaders as a major obstacle to GE tree research and development
Media and Communications
- Worked directly with media to amplify the voices of impacted communities, social movements, grassroots groups and networks. Since 2004 we traveled to the UN and other international forums, including the Climate Convention, the Biodiversity Convention, the UN Forum on Indigenous Issues and the World Social Forum where we succeeded in featuring these voices in hundreds of newswires and media outlets around the world, reaching millions of people with their messages.
- Produced the DVD “A Darker Shade of Green,” in 2012 to showcase Indigenous Peoples’ resistance to REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). The DVD is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Used the power of photojournalism to expose injustice and help prevent the forced relocation of Amador Hernandez, an Indigenous community in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas, Mexico in 2011.
Climate Justice and
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
- Co-founded Durban Group for Climate Justice in 2004; Climate Justice Now! in 2007. Co-founded Climate Justice Action in 2008, which organized the historicPeoples’ Assembly and Reclaim Power march out at the 2009 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen.
- Used writing, analysis and direct action to expose the extent of corporate influences on UN climate and biodiversity negotiations. Highlighted the exclusion of Indigenous Peoples, social movements and other stakeholders from UN decision-making.