The objective of the project is to identify and quantify the most critical types of plastics and plastic products discharged into the Mediterranean Sea. Data collected will be used to develop a systemic but context-pertinent strategy along the entire value chain of the plastic sector. Upstream (design, waste prevention and minimization), midstream (engagement of users) and downstream (waste management) solutions will all be addressed.

Achieving this objective requires a rapid assimilation and analysis from a wide range of information sources to identify the key hotspots towards the most relevant products, plastic fluxes, and stakeholders and advance the understanding of plastic release into the Mediterranean sea.

Applicants will be expected to meet the following objectives:

1. To revise the estimate of the quantity of plastic currently accumulated in the Mediterranean Sea (in different compartments like water column, sediments, shoreline, surface, biota)
2. To make the first estimate of the yearly input of plastic into the Mediterranean Sea and to identify the priority hotspots for actions (per country, per type of plastic and density, per industry).
3. To develop a plastic footprint methodology that can be used to evaluate and monitor the plastic footprint of industries or countries, as well as to quantitatively assess the efficiency of a series of mitigation campaigns that are currently undertaken around the Mediterranean basin.

The desired final outcomes of this project are three comprehensive reports corresponding to the objectives mentioned above (20-50 pages each) and/or one publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal.

Project proposal requirements

Project proposals sought must contain the following:
 

• Clear objectives and feasible implementation plan;
• A strong technical and science component combining both top-down (developing hotspots analysis based o MFA and LCA approaches) and bottom-up approaches (generating synthetic metrics out of field studies and oceanographic data); and
• Track record of the applicant.

Who can apply?

Applications are sought from individual experts or NGOs with the following competences:
 

• A good understanding of sustainable consumption and production topics, Life Cycle Assessment, life cycle based indicators and hotspots analysis.
• Proven expertise and experience in the assessment of national value chains related to plastics and issues related to marine plastics.
• Proven expertise and experience in research and development of methods relating to similar issues such as identification of hotspots for a specific sector.
• Proven experience in carrying out data collection, analysis and consultation in different countries.
• Published high quality reports or peer-reviewed journal papers related to the mentioned methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English.

Timeline

Project completion is expected to be six (6) months from acceptance of the proposal.

Applications and any questions should be sent to joao.sousa@iucn.org by 17 December 2017.