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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

International Environmental Education Program on Micro-plastics

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Scientific community
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#OceanAction41360
    Description
    Description
    Micro-plastics (MP) pollution in our oceans has become one of the most serious global environmental issues, and the topic has been discussed at the G7 Environmental Ministerial Meetings. JAMSTEC and the partners propose a brand new International Environmental Education Program of MP investigation for the elementary and middle schools students to enhance their interest in and literacy about the current state of oceans, as shown in the following items. The program provides not only a package of scientific fieldwork procedures on the beach, but also global MP data sharing and visualization system on the website.

    1. The results of MP fieldworks by the students worldwide will illuminate the global environmental problem for all mankind on our planet.

    2. Scientifically simple fieldwork procedures for MP extraction and picture analysis tools (i.e. Smartphone app.) will be provided as one package with free and multi-lingual version.

    3. Each result will be collected in our website and visualized as a global MP distribution map. Those MP surveys and their results will expand spatiotemporally, and become a powerful tool for students to understand global environmental problems. The MP survey results will also be utilized as a fundamental dataset for the scientists to investigate the origin of plastic debris and its transportation.

    4. Domestic and international students, meeting on the MP investigations will be organized. This will contribute to fostering capable future scientists and to the improvement of ocean literacy.

    5. The planning and implementation of this program will be conducted mainly by the Hachinohe Institute of Technology (and the City of Hachinohe), the School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University (and the City of Shizuoka) and JAMSTEC, as the core organizations. This program could be expanded internationally, in particular in Asia region (Taiwan, Province of China, and South Korea, etc.) and in European countries, as well as among the private sector groups and NGOs, which are interested in the environmental protection.
    Partners
    Hachinohe Institute of Technology (Japan) (Academic Institution)
    School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University (Japan) (Academic Institution)
    Special Education Center, Tokai University (Japan) (Academic Institution)
    Fisheries Science Museum of Hachinohe City Marient (Japan) (Academic Institution)
    Board of Education of Hachinohe City (Japan) (Government)

    Goal 4

    Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

    Goal 4

    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

    By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations
    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

    By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries
    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 12

    Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

    Goal 12

    12.1

    Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries

    12.1.1

    Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production

    12.2

    By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

    12.2.1

    Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP

    12.2.2

    Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP

    12.3

    By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

    12.3.1

    (a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index

    12.4

    By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

    12.4.1
    Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
    12.4.2

    (a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment

    12.5

    By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

    12.5.1

    National recycling rate, tons of material recycled

    12.6

    Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

    12.6.1
    Number of companies publishing sustainability reports

    12.7

    Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

    12.7.1

    Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans

    12.8

    By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

    12.8.1

    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

    12.a

    Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production

    12.a.1

    Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)

    12.b

    Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

    12.b.1

    Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability

    12.c

    Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities

    12.c.1

    Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    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
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    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
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    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
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    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
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    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

    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
    Distribution of multi-language manuals
    Providing scientifically simple fieldwork procedure for the MP extraction, and the picture analysis tools (i.e. Smartphone app.)
    Building a website for visualizing the survey results as a global MP map
    Financing (in USD)
    50000
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Any voluntary contribution from the experts who are dealing with the issues related to marine litter, plastics, pollution, and ocean observation, among others, are very welcome
    In-kind contribution
    Scientific facilities of each organization concerned
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 May 2016 (start date)
    01 December 2030 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
    Other beneficiaries
    students and youths around the world
    Ocean Basins
    Global
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Tsuyoshi Sugiura, Deputy Manager of International Affairs Division, JAMSTEC