CO₂ Footprint Reduction & CO₂ Conversion to Green Bio-Engineered Carbonates for Multi-Functional Applications in the Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus

ACCENTS-4-CO2

Call

  • ARC

Project Website

Principal Investigator

Prof. Malik Maaza, African Centre of Competencies in Enhanced Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies (ACCENTS) / UNESCO–UNISA–iThemba LABS, South Africa.

Partners

Shohreh Aazizi — African Centre of Competencies in Enhanced Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies (ACCENTS), South Africa Yasmin Abozeid — Helwan University, Egypt Jimi Adesina — University of South Africa, South Africa Siham Al Qaradawi — Qatar University, Qatar Cariem Attiyah — Sustainability Institute Montessori School (SIMS), South Africa Sayed Bateni — University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, United States of America Gyampoh Benji — Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Zephania Birech — University of Nairobi, Kenya Fabia Ezema — University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria Wassie Haile — Hawassa University, Ethiopia Madiba Itani — UNESCO-UNISA-ITLABS/NRF Africa Chair in Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies (U2ACN2), South Africa Michel Lonji Kalombo — Institut de nanotechnologie et Innovation en Matériaux Avancés (INIM-UNIKIN), Democratic Republic of the Congo Alain Krief — International Organization of Chemistry for Development (IOCD), Belgium Sanjay Mathur — University of Cologne (UKÖLN), Germany Tebogo Mokoma — Department of Science & Innovation (DSI), South Africa Patience Mthunzi — Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa Igor Polikarpov — University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil Nirina Randranantoandro — Université du Mans (UMANS), France Tefo Thema — Botswana University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (BUAN), Botswana

Funders

  • ANR (The French National Research Agency), FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundation), MSRTI (Ministry of Scientific Research and Technology Innovation), NRF (National Research Foundation)

Project Objective

This multidisciplinary and multilateral research project is geared towards CO₂ footprint reduction (SDG-13) and its conversion to green bio-engineered multifunctional carbonates for applications as nano-fertilizers in the agri-sector (SDG-2), as nano-cloud seeding for artificial rainwater harvesting (SDG-6), and as thermochemical nano-compounds for concentrated solar energy (SDG-7), along with their usage in the pharmaceutical sector as drug nano-carriers (SDG-3). This 3-year project is a flagship initiative of the African Centre of Competencies in Nano-sciences & Nanotechnologies for SDGs (ACCENTS). The latter is a trilateral partnership between UNESCO, the University of South Africa (UNISA), and iThemba LABS, a national facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF), while involving several partners from Africa, the Global South, and Europe with whom robust cooperation track records have been established since 2013. The partnership is geographically distributed as follows: (11) Africa, (2) Europe, (2) Americas, and (2) Asia. Although the project is science-for-society oriented in line with the Belmont Forum vision and mission, it is based on a pivotal component of postgraduate and early-career scientist training (SDG-5), with significant South-South and North-South cooperation in alignment with Partnership for the SDGs (SDG-17), as well as a strong bridging interface with community and policymaking. As a major project deliverable, the recently approved green technology for CO₂ conversion to multifunctional carbonates validated within the framework of ACCENTS will be substantiated and replicated across various partner regions in Africa, Europe, and the Global South. It is therefore expected that this project’s technology will be widely adopted to meet the CO₂ 2028 market expectations while generating multisectoral impacts within all components of the Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus.

Call Objective

In support of the African Union’s climate, environment, and sustainability goals and priority areas for Agenda 2063, aims to address knowledge gaps and priorities in addressing climate change vulnerability across the continent. Three themes (or areas) of concern emerged from scoping sessions with the community: Area 1: Water – Energy – Food – Health Nexus, Area 2: Pollution, Area 3: Disaster Preparedness, Responsiveness, and Recovery. Additionally, the Call identified green and blue economies as a cross-cutting issue and education and awareness as cross-cutting activities to be encouraged.

Region

  • Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, North America, South America

Country

  • Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Qatar, South Africa, United States of America (USA)

Duration

36 months

Call Date

May 2024

Project Award Date

Oct. 2025