IAIA Joins the Global Commons Alliance to Strengthen Collective Action for a Just World on a Safe Planet
The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) is proud to announce that we have become a member of the Global Commons Alliance (GCA). This partnership deepens IAIA’s commitment to strengthening evidence-based decision-making and advancing environmental and social justice worldwide.
What are the global commons?
The global commons are Earth’s life-support systems — from the ocean and climate to rainforests and freshwater — that keep the planet stable and make a just world possible. Science shows many Safe and Just Boundaries are already being breached, pushing us toward climate and nature tipping points. Systemic change is urgently needed, but today’s systems-change ecosystem remains fragmented and underpowered.
Why the Global Commons Alliance matters
The Global Commons Alliance brings together civil society, philanthropy, business networks, science organizations, and public institutions around a shared mission: safeguarding and restoring Earth’s life-support systems equitably, now.
Over the past six years, the Alliance has united groundbreaking science, accountability frameworks, data systems, and storytelling platforms such as the Earth Commission, Science Based Targets Network, Systems Change Lab, Accountability Accelerator, and Earth HQ. Today, the Alliance is evolving to connect local, national, and international initiatives and drive the systemic shifts needed to bring societies back within Safe and Just Boundaries.
Why IAIA is joining now
Impact assessment is a critical part of how policy, planning, and project decisions are made — and therefore essential to addressing root causes of ecological and social crises. IAIA’s global community contributes rigorous methods, cross-disciplinary expertise, and governance insights that help decision-makers navigate complex, interconnected challenges.
By joining the GCA, IAIA will help:
- Translate Earth-system science into decision-making.
- Strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms through impact assessment practice.
- Bridge knowledge and practice across sectors — from government to business to civil society.
- Support systemic change efforts that address the drivers of climate instability, biodiversity loss, and social inequity.
“Impact assessments are a powerful tool for informed decision making that takes into account the stewardship of our global commons. We look forward to collaborating with IAIA and its members to progress towards a safe world on a just planet.”
What IAIA Members can expect
IAIA’s participation in the Alliance will:
- Provide members with insight into emerging global frameworks for systemic change.
- Offer connection to a broader network of scientific, policy, and practice-based organizations.
- Open opportunities for collaboration across earth-system domains and sectors.
- Support new content and learning opportunities within IAIA’s Sections and events.
We look forward to contributing IAIA’s expertise and global community to this important Alliance, and we will keep you updated on how IAIA is integrating this new membership into our work. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, learn more about GCA at globalcommonsalliance.org.
