Common Wadden Sea Secretariat

Modelling climate change impacts for coastal sites in West Africa With this invitation to tender, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC) is seeking a qualified consultant/team of consultants to assist in the development of Climate Change Impact Models for coastal wetlands in West Africa. The development of these models is part of a larger project titled "Climate Resilience for Critical Sites for Migratory Birds and People along the East Atlantic Flyway (CREAF)". The consultant / consortium of consultants is expected to have proven experience in climate change impact modelling, both from a theoretical as well as practical perspective. 1) Background The East Atlantic Flyway is a vast area that covers all sites used by millions of migratory waterbirds throughout their annual life cycle. It connects breeding areas in the Arctic and Europe with staging and non-breeding sites along the western coast of Europe and Africa all the way to South Africa. Moreover, it is an essential flyway for many intra-African migratory species breeding in Africa as well as for resident birds. Along the flyway there is often conflict between the needs of birds and the needs of people, who both benefit from the ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands. Climate change (in form of temperature increases, sea level rise, extreme weather events) will further accentuate this conflict in the absence of effective mechanisms that incorporate biodiversity, ecosystem services and people into climate adaptation responses at the landscape level. Lasting co-existence between people and biodiversity requires effective, large scale and coordinated planning and management. CREAF is a large-scale, multi-partner flyway project, working with local communities, site managers, researchers, and policymakers from 11 countries along the African Atlantic Coastline. The aim is to improve the resilience of the East Atlantic Flyway to climate change through targeted actions for local wetlands. This includes finding sustainable solutions for climate adaptation at sites of international importance for migratory birds that incorporate the needs of biodiversity and people. Climate impact models are a powerful tool to predict and subsequently manage the effects of climate change on coastal wetlands and biodiversity, as well as local communities and their livelihoods. By integrating data from hydrodynamic, atmospheric, ecological, and socio-economic systems, these models help policymakers and managers to make informed decisions about risk management, climate adaptation and long-term planning for nature conservation and rural development. Global models may not accurately reflect the impact at the site level as they lack information on specific local conditions. This leads to inaccurate predictions and prevents effective management of climate change impacts on a smaller scale. Their performance can be improved by informing the model with local data. Within this project, climate change impact models shall be developed for 2 important sites for migratory waterbirds in Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau, with the possibility to add a third site in Senegal. The focus will be to model potential climate change impacts on biodiversity and local livelihoods and share the knowledge with manager and policy makers.

Joint Strategic Environmental Assessment of cumulative impacts on the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage Site With this invitation to tender, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation on the Protection of the Wadden Sea (TWSC) of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands is seeking a qualified consultancy or consortium of consultants to coordinate the trilateral collaborative process for the development of the joint Strategic Environmental Assessment on cumulative impacts affecting the UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage Site (joint SEA). The purpose of the joint SEA is to assess the potential impacts and cumulative effects originating in and around the site on the ecological attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site, as well as on other related, particular heritage/conservation values. The joint SEA aims to provide information useful for future decision-making to support the reduction of (cumulative) pressures on the Wadden Sea. This initiative responds to a request by the World Heritage Committee. The selected consultancy or consortium of consultants should be able to demonstrate: - proven expertise in EU Strategic Environmental Assessment processes, including environmental baselines, impact analysis, and cumulative impacts assessments, - knowledge about World Heritage impact assessment requirements, relevant instruments, and - preferably a deep understanding of the Wadden Sea"s geology, ecology, biodiversity and human interactions with the ecosystem. A multidisciplinary, independent team with a solid background in conducting strategic environmental assessments according to the EU legislation will be essential. Bidders are encouraged to build a multinational consortium. Selected consultancies may also participate in developing the national SEA components. 1. Background The Wadden Sea, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009 and extended in 2014, is recognised for its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) as the world"s largest unbroken intertidal sand and mudflat ecosystem for its unique geology, ecosystem and biodiversity. Its largely undisturbed natural processes create diverse coastal features and provide critical habitats for specialised species and millions of migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway. To safeguard this unique ecosystem for future generations, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands established the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation in 1978 to coordinate national and international nature conservation efforts. It is the commitment as well as the common responsibility of the states in the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation to do their utmost to maintain the OUV of the site. The Wadden Sea conservation area is protected as national parks, nature reserves, and Natura 2000 sites under national legislation. The present-day management system of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site is almost entirely covered by EU law and international conventions, implemented by and in addition to national regulations. At its extended 45th session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (10-25 September 2023), the World Heritage Committee, in Decision 45 COM 7B.23 , expressed concerns about different human activities within, near, or beneath the transboundary World Heritage Site "The Wadden Sea", and requested the three State Parties to conduct a joint Strategic Environmental Assessment (joint SEA) to assess the cumulative impacts on the OUV of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. The State Parties committed to carrying out the requested joint SEA and agreed that the best approach would be to base the assessment on EU legislation, which provides a common framework for all EU Member States. Therefore, the methods for the joint SEA are based on European guidelines that are implemented nationally in all three states. The joint SEA requires breaking new methodological ground, as it goes beyond standard environmental assessments under European Union legislation, particularly because it: - considers a multitude of projects, plans and programmes and other relevant human impacts that together form the subject of this SEA; - focusses on the OUV key values ; - and it follows the principles of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context . As an initial step, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation produced a draft Scoping Report (see Annex) which sets out the main targets, the approach and methodology to be used in the assessment of potential impacts and impacts from cumulative effects on the Wadden Sea"s OUV key values, attributes, and other relevant related values. The draft Scoping Report was subject to national stakeholder consultations as well as trilateral consultations with advisors from the environmental NGOs between April 2025 and 30 September 2025. It has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN on 30 March 2025 for parallel review as requested in Decision WHC/24/46.COM/7B.51 adopted at its 46th session in New Delhi (21-30 July 2024). To complement these efforts, the Wadden Sea Board requested the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) to provide an independent expert review of the draft scoping report. NCEA is an independent advisory body of experts dedicated to providing advisory services and capacity development on environmental assessment (EIA or SEA reports). NCEA holds a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN. Suggestions from consultations as well as from the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, will be considered during the expert review process. The review is expected to be finalised by end of March 2026.

With this invitation to tender, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS), on behalf of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC), seeks a qualified consultant or consortium to carry out a comprehensive study on linear energy infrastructure near and below the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site, including high-voltage cables and natural gas/hydrogen pipelines. The study will examine the challenges related to adequate integration of nature conservation requirements, as well as conflicts, barriers, bottlenecks, and risks affecting the planning, permitting, implementation, operation, and maintenance of energy infrastructure . Building on existing studies and informed by surveys and interviews with key stakeholders, the consultant will assess knowledge gaps, coordination and cooperation challenges, socio-economic conflicts, environmental risks, and relevant legal and administrative frameworks. Based on this analysis, the consultant will identify actionable acceleration potentials and propose common, cross-border approaches to strengthen governance and collaboration for nature-friendly infrastructure development. The study will further identify strategic entry points within offshore wind development and energy planning processes where the TWSC can engage constructively, in line with its mandate to safeguard the Outstanding Universal Value of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. The purpose of this work is to provide analysis and recommendations to support decision-making and cross-border coordination on energy infrastructure crossing the Wadden Sea. Its primary aim is to identify acceleration potentials (opportunities to reduce avoidable delays, uncertainty, and procedural friction in the planning, permitting operation and decommissioning of linear energy infrastructure) while fully safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value of the Wadden Sea and all applicable environmental protections. The selected consultancy or consortium of consultants should be able to demonstrate: - Proven experience relevant to the assessment of linear energy infrastructure in sensitive marine and coastal environments. - Proven experience in analysing stakeholder needs, identifying conflicts and bottlenecks, and developing policy-relevant recommendations - Knowledge of the ecological, legal, and administrative characteristics of the transboundary Wadden Sea region. Bidders are encouraged to build a multinational consortium. The UNESCO Wadden Sea World Heritage area is a multifaceted dynamic natural system. The site stretches along the southern North Sea Coast from Den Helder in the Netherlands via Germany to Esbjerg in Denmark. It is the commitment as well as the common responsibility of the states in the TWSC to do their utmost to maintain the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site. Additionally, major parts of the Wadden Sea are designated as national parks, nature reserves, and Natura 2000 sites. The present-day management system of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Area is almost entirely covered by EU law and international conventions, in addition to national regulations. The Wadden Sea is a transition zone between the growing number of offshore wind energy production sites in the North Sea and the main distribution and consumption centres on the mainland. Hence, it is a crossing and landing area for high-voltage power subsea cable systems, as well as (historically) natural gas pipelines feeding in from the gas fields in the North Sea. Experimental technologies including Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) technology are also in development in the area. The acceleration of wind energy in the North Sea is a fundamental pillar of the EU"s binding targets to produce 42.5 % of gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030. The member countries of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NCES) have also set ambitious targets for offshore wind development in the North Sea by 2050. Within this context, the project "North Sea wide acceleration of LANding offshore energy while mitigating Impact on the Coastal Environment" (LANICE) was started in 2024 to improve knowledge of the key environmental impacts of linear energy infrastructure, provide guidance on successful impact mitigation, as well as to propose ways that member countries can improve efficiency in permitting as well as bring the voice and perspective of the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site into the planning process in a timely way. The project supports the implementation of the Wilhelmshaven Declaration as well as The SIMP Integrated Management Plan for the ONE Wadden Sea World Heritage 2023 (Key topic Energy). The project is financed by the NextGenerationEU project via the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC). As part of the LANICE project, a draft Trilateral Renewable Energy Strategy was developed in response to the World Heritage Centre (WHC) request (para 12 a) in Decision 46 (COM 7B.51). The aim of the strategy is to identify solutions that ensure the protection of the property"s OUV and to help avoidance and mitigation of negative impacts of onshore and offshore renewable energy and transition infrastructure, while acknowledging the acceleration of offshore energy development. The Strategy was endorsed by the WSB 47 0n 20 November 2025 for stakeholder consultation. After the consultation phase of the draft Esbjerg Declaration, the updated Trilateral Renewable Energy Strategy is intended to be adopted by the three governments at the Trilateral Governmental Council meeting in May 2026 in Esbjerg, Denmark The work will also build on previous work carried out under the LANICE project, which identified and broadly described the main environmental impacts of cables and pipelines crossing the Wadden Sea, and provided a high-level overview of the main assessment approaches, including ecological assessment, identification of potential impacts, and technical mitigation options.

German component on the joint Strategic Environmental Assessment of cumulative effects on the trilateral Wadden Sea World Heritage (SEA-DE)

CREAF_climate impact guidelines

Modelling climate change impacts for coastal sites in West Africa With this invitation to tender, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC) is seeking a qualified consultant/team of consultants to assist in the development of Climate Change Impact Models for coastal wetlands in West Africa. The development of these models is part of a larger project titled "Climate Resilience for Critical Sites for Migratory Birds and People along the East Atlantic Flyway (CREAF)". The consultant / consortium of consultants is expected to have proven experience in climate change impact modelling, both from a theoretical as well as practical perspective. 1) Background The East Atlantic Flyway is a vast area that covers all sites used by millions of migratory waterbirds throughout their annual life cycle. It connects breeding areas in the Arctic and Europe with staging and non-breeding sites along the western coast of Europe and Africa all the way to South Africa. Moreover, it is an essential flyway for many intra-African migratory species breeding in Africa as well as for resident birds. Along the flyway there is often conflict between the needs of birds and the needs of people, who both benefit from the ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands. Climate change (in form of temperature increases, sea level rise, extreme weather events) will further accentuate this conflict in the absence of effective mechanisms that incorporate biodiversity, ecosystem services and people into climate adaptation responses at the landscape level. Lasting co-existence between people and biodiversity requires effective, large scale and coordinated planning and management. CREAF is a large-scale, multi-partner flyway project, working with local communities, site managers, researchers, and policymakers from 11 countries along the African Atlantic Coastline. The aim is to improve the resilience of the East Atlantic Flyway to climate change through targeted actions for local wetlands. This includes finding sustainable solutions for climate adaptation at sites of international importance for migratory birds that incorporate the needs of biodiversity and people. Climate impact models are a powerful tool to predict and subsequently manage the effects of climate change on coastal wetlands and biodiversity, as well as local communities and their livelihoods. By integrating data from hydrodynamic, atmospheric, ecological, and socio-economic systems, these models help policymakers and managers to make informed decisions about risk management, climate adaptation and long-term planning for nature conservation and rural development. Global models may not accurately reflect the impact at the site level as they lack information on specific local conditions. This leads to inaccurate predictions and prevents effective management of climate change impacts on a smaller scale. Their performance can be improved by informing the model with local data. Within this project, climate change impact models shall be developed for 2 important sites for migratory waterbirds in Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau, with the possibility to add a third site in Senegal. The focus will be to model potential climate change impacts on biodiversity and local livelihoods and share the knowledge with manager and policy makers.