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FAPESP and European Union will fund research in micro-plastic pollution in the ocean Versão em português

FAPESP and European Union will fund research in micro-plastic pollution in the ocean Call for proposals in collaboration with JPI Oceans and CONFAP is announced in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (photo: Wikimedia)

FAPESP announces a call for proposals to fund research projects aiming at reducing micro-plastic ocean pollution in support of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the implementation of the Belém Statement on the Atlantic Ocean. 

The call is issued in partnership with the European Union through the JPI Oceans Initiative and the Brazilian National Council of State Funding Agencies (CONFAP) .

Among the institutions from several countries participating in this call for proposals, are ANR (France), BMBF (Germany), FCT (Portugal) and SEIDI / AEI (Spain), with which FAPESP has an active partnership.

The research themes must address the demands for in-depth knowledge about the relevant sources of microplastics, with focus on analytical methods for identifying nano-plastics, monitoring their distribution and abundance in marine systems and their effects thereon, as well as devising strategies to reduce inputs of plastics into the marine environment – including new recycling methods, public awareness, behavioural change and socio-economic analyses.

Each proposal related to FAPESP must have one principal investigator from the State of São Paulo and at least two foreign principal investigators, each one from a different country among the participant countries of this call. Above these minimum criteria for the composition of consortia, the participation of principal investigators from other Brazilian States is encouraged.

In the State of São Paulo, FAPESP will fund researchers affiliated to higher education or research institutions according to its Regular Research Awards rules and instructions. Some modifications and exceptionalities apply to this call. The projects’ duration may vary from 24 to 36 months, with a maximum budget of R$ 100.000 per year.

Proponents from São Paulo State should send their proposals exclusively via FAPESP submission system SAGe (www.fapesp.br/sage) in tandem with the coordinator researcher of the Consortium, who should follow the Submission Guidelines (http://www.jpi-oceans.eu/calls/proposals/microplastics-marine-environment) of the international Call and submit the proposal via JPI Oceans. The deadline for submissions is February 28, 2019.

Guidelines for researchers from the State of São Paulo are available at: www.fapesp.br/en/12192