About
Global Action International (GAP) is an international NGO network working to empower people to live and work increasingly sustainably: sustainable consumption patterns, of all kinds, are at the heart of GAP’s work. Since their start in 1990, GAP’s programmes have reached several million people in over 20 countries. GAP is using the methodology to achieve real, long-term behaviour change developed through an international action research programme for nearly 20 years. GAP also teaches their methods to other interested NGOs. GAP has a consultative status with ECOSOC, is accredited with Habitat, and supports the UNESCO-led Decade for Education for Sustainable Development.
Strategy
GAP has developed tools to help reduce CO2 emissions and move a business, community, school or household towards carbon neutrality. Starting in 1990 through Eco Teams, the ’original’ GAP programme was tested and improved in 20 countries, showing that households can reduce their impact on the environment and save money. Typical measured reductions from numerous countries are for instance: solid waste by 40 per cent, energy by 12 per cent, and water by 20 per cent.
The basic programme is delivered through team meetings supported by a coach, and using an EcoTeam workbook. New versions are increasingly automated and delivered via internet – though the element of teamwork and mutual support is still important. So far there is still a trade-off: the team meetings produce the biggest individual results, whereas the internet versions reach far more people.
The program can include calculators to convert savings into one unit: CO2 emissions, an ecological footprint measure. One version of the programme in Flanders, linked to the ecological footprint, is called 100 households, which saves 100 football pitches in 100 days. It has been demonstrated that, given effective leadership, engaging as few as five to ten per cent of the households in a housing estate in the EcoTeam program will influence the behaviour of the whole community.