UNESCO: Submit Proposals to Map and Assess the Environmental and Health Impacts of Abandoned Mines in Sub-Saharan African Countries

Deadline: 31 December 2015

UNESCO is currently inviting researchers to submit proposals for projects examining the various aspects of the environmental and health impacts of mining activities in sub-Saharan African countries, with special focus on abandoned mines.

This research is open to scientists from various fields including geoscientists, environmentalists, biologists, medical scientists, and social scientists; they are requested to look into various aspects of the environmental and health impacts of mining activities in sub-Saharan African countries with focus on abandoned mines.

Program Objectives

• To understand how past, present and future mining activities negatively affect ecosystems and health of the adjacent communities. This includes the mapping of present distribution of abandoned mine sites in the country and field works on targeted mine sites to assess the potential threats on environment (soil, surface and ground water, vegetation and crops) as well as animal and communities living around the mine sites).
• To identify, through experimentation, the most appropriate rehabilitation technologies and remedial actions for sites contaminated by trace metals from mining. This project intends to have a special focus on phyto-rehabilitation.
• To use science-based evidences to influence policies on issues of abandoned mines. It is important that local stakeholders (government officials, mining enterprises and local communities, and interested NGOs and associations) are involved and support the project, and facilitate the implementation of the outcomes. Policy Briefs to decision-makers and other interested stakeholders are expected to be an important outcome of the proposal dealing with this objective.

Funding Available

Each selected project will receive a two-year funding, of maximum 10,000 USD per year.

Eligibility Criteria

• Projects with special attention to youth and female in the mining sector are also welcomed.
• This programme intends to cover as much possible countries in sub-Saharan Africa and various types of mines
• Be a PhD, a postdoc student, a young scientist under 10 years of PhD, or an engineer in the mining sector;
• Have an ongoing research project on at least one of the theme of the project (the grant does not intend to fund a project not yet started); or have received the UNESCO-Sida funding during the scoping phase in 2013;
• Demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach;
• Demonstrate a strong implementation partnership links inside and outside Africa;
• Demonstrate active involvement of stakeholders (e.g., geological survey, department of Mines, environmental body, mining companies, or NGOs and associations) in formulating the research question, in implementing the project, and in using the outcomes of the research.
• Have the project endorsed by the home institution of the lead applicant;
• Have the project endorsed by the relevant stakeholder interested by the outcomes of the project.

How to Apply

• Applicants must fill the template proposal form available on the website.
• Selection will take place in February 2016 and successful applicants will be informed by early March 2016.

For more information, please visit UNESCO.