COLLECT – Citizen Observation of Local Litter in Coastal ECosysTems
Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO)
(
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#OceanAction46096
Description
Financed by the Lounsbery Foundation and coordinated by the Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), the Citizen Observation of Local Litter in coastal ECosysTems (COLLECT) project (2021-2022) is a citizen science initiative which aims to acquire distribution and abundance data of coastal plastic debris in seven countries in Africa (Benin, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria) and Asia (Malaysia), promoting knowledge transfer between local communities, researchers, and member institutions. COLLECT methodologies follow best practices of citizen science projects on plastic litter quantification in aquatic environments. In COLLECT, secondary school students (15 - 18 years old) apply standard operating procedures (SOPs) to acquire and sample macro- (> 25 mm), meso- (25 – 5 mm) and microplastics (< 5 mm) from sandy beaches, during wet and dry seasons. Prior to the activity, the participating institutions provide training to students and teachers, that include not only guidelines for field sampling, but also background information on plastic pollution. The training material was developed in different languages and media (e.g., simplified illustrated sampling procedure and video), making it simple to follow, accessible and attractive. The impact of the citizen science campaign is further measured with a survey, assessing shifts in knowledge of the nature and purpose of scientific research and in attitude/awareness towards the environment. The results obtained in this project will contribute to establish baseline information on coastal plastic debris and reinforce the POGO institutions’ collaborative network. In COLLECT, citizen science is an enabler of open science, by allowing data collected to be freely available to public, academics and regulators.
• Marine Atmosphere & Coastal Ocean Research Network - MACORN-UNICAL, Faculty of Oceanography, University of Calabar, Nigeria (Academic Institution) • Centre Universitaire de Recherche et d'Application en Teledetection - CURAT, Universite Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Cote d'Ivoire (Academic Institution) • Physical & Chemical Oceanography Department, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography & Marine Research - NIOMR, Nigeria (Academic Institution) • Ocean Science Centre Mindelo, Instituto do Mar - IMar, Cabo Verde (Academic Institution) • Institut National de Recherche Halieutique - INRH, Morocco (Academic Institution) • Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Oceanologiques du Benin - IRHOB, Benin (Academic Institution) • Centre For Marine & Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia (Academic Institution) • Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Ghana (Academic Institution) • Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Belgium (Scientific Community)
SDGS & Targets
Goal 4
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
4.1
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes
4.1.1
Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex
4.1.2
Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)
4.2
By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education
4.2.1
Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex
4.2.2
Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex
4.3
By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
4.3.1
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex
4.4
By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
4.4.1
Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill
4.5
4.5.1
Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated
4.6
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy
4.6.1
Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex
4.7
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
4.7.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment
4.a
Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
4.a.1
Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service
4.b
4.b.1
Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study
4.c
By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States
4.c.1
Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level
Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.1.1
(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density
14.2
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
14.2.1
Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas
14.3
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.3.1
14.4
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.4.1
14.5
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
14.5.1
14.6
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.6.1
Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
14.7
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
14.7.1
Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries
14.a
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
14.a.1
14.b
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
14.b.1
Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
14.c.1
Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.1 | By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution |
| 14.a | Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries |
Deliverables & Timeline
Sampling procedures (extended technical standard operating procedure (SOP), simplified and illustrated sampling instructions, animated video with sampling instructions)
First sampling season of coastal litter (wet season/autumn)
Second sampling season of coastal litter (dry season/spring)
Scientific manuscript(s) and final datasets (open and FAIR data)
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
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Other beneficiaries
College Les Oliviers, Cote D’Ivoire - École IBN Batouta, Morocco - Escola Salesiana de Artes e Ofícios, Cabo Verde - Lagos State Senior Model College Badore, Nigeria - Liceu Ludgero Lima, Cabo Verde - Lycée des sportifs, Morocco - Lycée Technique Coulibaly, Benin - O’Reilly Secondary School, Ghana - Prince of Wales Island International School, Malaysia - Riverside College, Nigeria - University of Calabar International Secondary School, Nigeria
Ocean Basins
Communities of Ocean Action
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Contact Information
Sophie Seeyave, Dr