Desktop Research on Circular Economy in coastal areas of Mediterranean Europe

Details

Mission and objectives

Think Tank AlterContacts contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through research, publications, initiatives and facilitating constructive dialogue on International Development worldwide. Our key initiatives are aimed at Eradicating Ignorance, Empowering Entrepreneurship and helping organizations to instil the mindset of sustainability, track and measure their contribution to the UN SDGs. Think Tank AlterContacts is a collaboration of rare experts that provide advice, generate ideas and explore solutions to specific problems on demand. We provide access to one thousand years of accumulated experience distributed globally in a network of networks. We bring together unique and diverse talents, skilled experts who make things happen without stealing the spotlight, passionate about what they do and really care about who they do it for. We run our activities from savings of co-founders and on volunteer contribution of the experts. We hope with UNV Online Volunteering service we can find people who will support us in our mission to build a better future for humanity.

Context

This volunteer assignment will contribute to the United Nations registered initiative “Kilometro Circular” #SDGaction54717. It aims to establish sustainable, thriving communities within a one-square-kilometer area located in urban, rural, and coastal zones. The collaborations between governments, educational institutions, NGOs, entrepreneurs, and private organizations utilize these areas to showcase innovative solutions and generate new knowledge. This initiative serves as an experimental ground for implementing and testing innovative technologies, sustainable practices, and circular economy principles. It aims to create self-sufficient, resilient communities that thrive without relying heavily on external resources. Additionally, it seeks to empower underrepresented groups, foster inclusive partnerships, and promote economic prosperity while contributing to global sustainability goals.
Reference: https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/kilometro-circular-blue-kmc2-living-labs-network-0

Task description

We are seeking a team of Online Volunteers for the project Kilometro Circular to carry out desktop research on various aspects of circular economy in the region of Mediterranean Europe, specifically Greece, Italy, and Spain. Our in-house team is currently doing field research in this geographical area. We need the support of remote volunteer researchers to analyze the existing academic literature on the subject. This role is fully remote. Your workload per week will not exceed 12 hours.
The task of the Online Volunteer is to write one academic paper in English on the given topic for the given geographical area. Each Online Volunteer will be given his/her own research question within the topic of Circular Economy and Sustainable Development; and a specific geography to analyze as an example.
The format of the paper: 4,000–6,000 words; Originally written (no generative AI). It will need to include an Introduction; Methods; Literature review; Agenda for future research; Conclusion; and References (from peer-reviewed journals). All the articles from Online Volunteers and case studies from our field research will be published together in a report on the Circular Economy in Mediterranean Europe. All the authors and contributors will be mentioned with their work.
Working together:
Once selected, the Online Volunteers will be provided with a document where they can see all the research topics and choose the one that fits their expertise best. The writing is mostly self-guided. A think tank expert/coordinator will be available to answer content-related questions. You will be asked to submit a short progress overview every second week. Ideally, by week 6, you could submit the draft of the full paper. After the review, you might be asked to make additions or changes. By week 8, we hope to see the final paper.