THE CHALLENGE
Marine Litter in Small Island Developing States
Marine litter is a growing environmental and economic concern for SIDS. These three island nations share critical challenges that require integrated, locally-owned solutions.
Plastic Pollution at Sea
Coastal communities face intensifying plastic accumulation on beaches, in fishing grounds, and within marine ecosystems, threatening livelihoods and biodiversity.
Weak Waste Management Infrastructure
All three countries lack adequate collection, recycling, and disposal systems, particularly in coastal and rural areas where leakage into the sea is highest.
Policy & Financing Gaps
Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks and sustainable financing models for waste management are absent or nascent, limiting long-term systemic change.
Local Capacity Needs
Civil society, government agencies, and the private sector need technical support to design, implement, and sustain marine litter reduction programs.
ReLiMa Ocean Protection Area
Cabo Verde
Guinea-Bissau
São Tomé and Príncipe
IMPLEMENTATION COUNTRIES
Three Island Nations, One Regional Vision
Each country brings unique context, challenges, and local partners. ReLiMa delivers tailored interventions while building bridges for regional cooperation and knowledge exchange.
Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde > CBV
An archipelago of 10 volcanic islands off West Africa, Cape Verde faces marine litter from tourism, fishing, and transoceanic currents. Key sectors targeted include coastal tourism and artisanal fisheries.
-
Local partner: ADAD
-
Ministry of Agriculture & Environment
Guinea-Bissau
Guiné-Bissau > GNB
Home to the Bijagós Archipelago biosphere reserve, Guinea-Bissau combines fragile ecosystems with limited waste infrastructure. ReLiMa will align with the Bissau Limpo and CommonSeas initiatives already underway.
-
Local partner: Tiniguena
-
Ministry of Environment, Biodiversity & Climate
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé e Príncipe · STP
A small island state in Middle Africa, with high marine biodiversity and a growing eco-tourism sector. ReLiMa coordinates with IslandPLAST and IUCN to scale proven solutions.
-
Local partner: Oikos
-
Ministry of Environment
PROJECT APPROACH
Four Integrated Work Packages
From rigorous baseline assessment to policy change and replicable pilots — each work package builds on the last, creating a coherent pathway from evidence to impact.
1
Work Package 1
Baseline Assessment
— Stakeholder mapping & needs assessment
— Marine litter hotspot mapping
— Waste flow analysis & characterization
— Feasibility study on technical solutions
— Status quo & gap analysis per country
Work Package 2
Pilot Interventions
— Country-specific pilot concepts & sites
— Collection infrastructure & digital tracking
— Community-driven incentive schemes
— South-South knowledge transfer & training
— Pilot launch, operation & performance data
3
Work Package 3
Financial Mechanisms & Impact
— EPR scheme design per country
— Private sector engagement strategies
— LCA for pilot operations
— Innovative revenue stream exploration
— Circular Economy Scaling Tool (CESTO)
Work Package 4
Policy, Awareness & Capacity
— Policy recommendations & briefs
— Regional Alliance on Marine Litter
— National awareness campaigns & videos
— Plastic-free certifications & eco-tourism
— International conferences & dissemination
2
4
PROJECT TIMELINE
2026 – 2030: Four Years, Four Phases
The project is structured to build systematically — starting with evidence, moving through implementation, and ending with replicable frameworks for the region.
2026
Foundation & Kickoff
-
In-country kickoff events
-
Stakeholder mapping
-
Baseline data collection starts
-
Consortium alignment
2027
Assessment & Design
-
Baseline reports finalized
-
Pilot locations selected
-
Equipment procurement
-
EPR groundwork
2028
Implementation
-
Pilot operations launch
-
Data collection & monitoring
-
Policy dialogue intensifies
-
Regional alliance forms
2029
Scale & Handover
-
Impact assessment
-
CESTO tool finalized
-
Policy briefs published
-
International conference
PROJECT TIMELINE
2026 – 2030: Four Years, Four Phases
The project is structured to build systematically — starting with evidence, moving through implementation, and ending with replicable frameworks for the region.
WP 1 - Baseline Assessment
WP 2 - Pilot Launch
WP 3 - CESTO Tools
WP 4 - Regional Alliance
PARTNERS
A Strong International Consortium
ReLiMa is jointly led by the University of Rostock and BlackForest Solutions GmbH, combining academic excellence with hands-on technical implementation experience across developing and emerging markets.
Local implementation is led by national NGOs with deep roots in their communities, ensuring decolonial ownership and relevance of all project activities.
University of Rostock
PROJECT LEAD
Germany · Waste & Resource Mgmt.
UNESCO
Policy Advisor
International · MAB Programme
Landbell Group
FINANCING
Germany · EPR & Financial Instruments
BlackForest Solutions GmbH
CO-LEAD
Germany · Technical Implementation
ADAD
LOCAL PARTNER
Cabo Verde · Civil Society
Tiniguena
LOCAL PARTNER
Guiné-Bissau · Civil Society
Oikos
LOCAL PARTNER
São Tomé e Príncipe · Civil Society
FUNDING
Supported by German Federal Funding
ReLiMa is funded through the Grant Programme Against Marine Litter, administered by ZUG on behalf of BMUKN.
Federal Funder
BMUKN
The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety — funding marine litter reduction in developing countries through the Grant Programme Against Marine Litter.
Programme Manager
Z.U.G
Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) administers the Grant Programme Against Marine Litter and serves as the project's grant manager, ensuring compliance with reporting, monitoring, and evaluation requirements.
Programme Against Marine Litter
Programme
Grant Programme Against Marine Litter
Part of Germany's international contribution to reducing plastic pollution in oceans — supporting evidence-based pilot projects in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) across the globe.
