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Environmental justice and sustainability grants in 2023

These grants support environmental justice and sustainability activities aligned with APC’s Strategic Plan.

List of projects implemented in 2023:
CITAD – Pilot hub for repair and reuse activities in Nigeria

The objective of this project undertaken by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is to establish a pilot hub for repair and reuse activities, including aggregation of e-waste, linking to pre-processers/processers, training on repair and reuse, as well as raising awareness. The activities around the pilot include:

  1. A weekly radio programme series on circularity in digital tech and recycling of e-waste. The idea is to raise public awareness, sensitise people on the issues and get policy makers to begin to take action around the management of e-waste and promoting repair and reuse in the digital economy sector, and especially to mainstream this in their youth development programmes.
  2. A stakeholders meeting on recycling and the circular economy, to brainstorm on the establishment of a refurbishing hub and make suggestions on how it can function as well how different stakeholders can key into it.
  3. A pilot training of some 20 young prospective recyclers to be the ambassadors of the circular economy in the digital space and generally replicate the establishment of the recycling hub in their respective communities.
  4. Conduct four online stakeholders sessions to share experiences and lessons with colleagues from other countries on promotion and practices of circularity. 
Colnodo – Environmental monitoring via sensors for the protection of the environment by local communities

The generation of environmental information and the promotion of citizen science through the construction of low-cost sensors are essential components for strengthening environmental warning systems and moving towards sustainable development. These initiatives not only improve the understanding of environmental problems, but also empower local communities to take concrete actions to protect and conserve the environment.

This project seeks to extend the use of the Environmental Alert System of the Sustainable Development Network – https://www.rds.org.co/es/alertas-ambientales – with information generated by the sensors used in the project and to publish the data collected through the sensors assembled and installed in different locations on the Sustainable Development Network’s geographic information system, https://mapas.rds.org.co/. The publication of data series from other project participants is also offered.

DEF – Tackling harms of digital tech on environment and climate

Engaging and networking with agencies across India towards improved understanding, adoption and promotion of anti-extractive and circular approaches to the life cycle of digital technologies, for digital and environmental gains from these, in an increasing digital society and economy, with actions at policy advocacy and practice levels. 

The Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) believes that the above activities are very much required and relevant to create and develop voices and purposes in existing environmental agencies and greater presence in promoting enabling governance to address issues around digital rights and environmental justice in India and South Asia, at policy and practice levels. This is even more true against the background of the Draft Policy and Action Plan on Circular Economy in Electronic and Electrical Wastes (EEE) 2021 in India, a leading country in the global South and important neighbour for all eight South Asian countries, the most densely populated region in the world. 

EsLaRed – Orientation and educational campaign on WEEE management and anti-extractive and circular approaches for digital technologies for an integral society

This project involves an orientation and educational campaign on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management and anti-extractive and circular approaches for digital technologies. It will promote an integrated approach to solutions involving various stakeholders: government, the private sector, local communities and civil society in general.

MAJI – Expanding the environmental air quality sensing network

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 91% of the world’s population lives in places where air pollution exceeds recommended limits, with an estimated seven million deaths recorded annually as a result of this pollution. According to Euronews, six countries absorb three quarters of the world’s air pollution impact, namely Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Nigeria and Indonesia. Reports also state that “their inhabitants lose one to more than six years of their lives because of the air they breathe.”

In Nigeria, the Niger Delta, being the nexus of the country’s oil industry, is by far one of the most polluted areas. Over the years, CSOs have been campaigning and advocating for effective regulatory strategies and policies without much success. Key stakeholders like CSOs, the media and government lack the needed real-time environmental data to support evidence-based campaigns, fact-oriented interventions and the development of policies that reflect the present environmental realities within rural Niger Delta communities.

This participatory grant activity looks to expand the environmental air quality sensing network already deployed by the Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI). The organisation currently has 15 sensors deployed across various locations, with data collected by these sensors hosted on the DATACAB platform (www.datacab.org), an air quality visualisation platform developed by MAJI. 

Nodo TAU and Pangea – Improvement of reuse and recycling processes in the Nodo TAU e-waste processing plant

In Argentina, 60% of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), or e-waste, is incinerated or buried in landfills. Despite various attempts, there is still no extended producer responsibility policy in place and there are still few reuse centres in the country. On the other hand, in 2019, 40% of households did not have a computer – a situation which, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a high school dropout rate.

The Nodo TAU waste management plant, located in the city of Rosario, opened its doors in 2019, specialising in ICT waste. Headed up by Nodo TAU, which since 1995 has promoted a critical vision of technological phenomena and democratisation and good use of ICT, the initiative aims to create jobs for vulnerable young people from the city’s shantytowns in the repair, refurbishing and recycling of computers at the end of their first useful life.

This new project being undertaken by Nodo TAU, with the support of Pangea, has two objectives:

  1. Review of the work processes of the Computer Waste Management Plant coordinated by Nodo TAU in Rosario, to optimise the refurbishing dynamics.
  2. Development of strategies for attracting computer equipment with a better refurbishment prognosis and greater potential for reuse (preferably from private institutions) to help meet the need created by the growth of the Digital Communities Programme, of which Nodo TAU is a part.
PROTEGE QV – Open conversation on the legal, regulatory and institutional framework for effective digital waste management in Cameroon

Based on the research carried out with the support of the first round of Environmental Sustainability Grants on the theme “Evaluating the ability of the legal and institutional framework in Cameroon to promote effective digital waste management”, PROTEGE QV observed that despite the constitutional commitment to environmental protection in Cameroon (established in the constitution’s preamble), and the density of its legal, regulatory and institutional framework, there were a number of insufficiencies. In response, PROTEGE QV developed a number of recommendations to strengthen the legal, regulatory and institutional framework. This new initiative is aimed at promoting an open conversation with the key policy makers to discuss the recommendations and the way forward.

Servelots – Knowledge-keeping support and re-imagining resources through stories

The activities undertaken as part of this project will mostly be around knowledge-keeping support and re-imagining resources through stories of local communities on their contributions to climate resilience. Related activities will also be carried out in collaboration with others to strengthen capacity to work with digital technologies.

Sulá Batsú – Integrating a feminist perspective in environmental sustainability projects

Sulá Batsú believes that the APC network must work with an inclusive/equity approach and specifically with a gender and intersectional focus when working on environmental sustainability in/with digital technology. Sulá Batsú is interested in integrating a feminist perspective in anti-extractivist and circular economy approaches, and would also like to engage with other organisations working in environment data as part of this initiative.

This project is specifically aimed at creating guidelines, principles and next steps to integrate a gender focus in anti-extractivist, environmental open data and circular economy projects. 

VOICE – Strengthening circular approaches to digital technology for environmental sustainability

In order to strengthen circular approaches to digital technology for environmental sustainability in Bangladesh, VOICE will conduct a series of consultation meetings with local businesses, manufacturers and policy makers to discuss the impact of e-waste and proper handling and recycling of digital devices, as well as to introduce, share and encourage repair tech and processes for the user community. The advocacy towards policy makers will aim at encouraging them to take appropriate measures to enforce the law and strengthen circular economies of digital technologies.

Zenzeleni – Using technology for food security in rural Eastern Cape 

The objective of this project is to further usher in digital technologies as a vital ally in the struggle to address climate change and food security challenges in the villages where Zenzeleni Community Networks is based and surrounding villages. These technologies are aimed at empowering rural households with essential information, tools and resources to adapt to changing environmental conditions, manage resources efficiently, and secure their livelihoods. The overall concept is that of an online platform for knowledge exchange on practices that ensure local environmental sustainability and encourage community members to contribute data on water sources, traditional medicinal plants, and sustainable agricultural/food gardening/fishing practices.