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The Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory soaring birds (MSB) (raptors, storks, pelicans and some ibis) in the world, with over 1.5 million birds of 37 species, including 5 globally threatened species, using this corridor between their breeding grounds in Europe and West Asia and wintering areas in Africa each year. The aim of this project is to mainstream migratory soaring bird considerations into the productive sectors along the flyway that pose the greatest risk to the safe migration of these birds – principally hunting, energy, agriculture and waste management while promoting activities in sectors which could benefit from these birds, such as ecotourism. The project seeks to integrate flyway issues into existing national or donor-funded "vehicles" of reform or change management in the key sectors through the provision of technical tools, content, services and support.
It is recognized that the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energies is necessary but must be undertaken in an ecologically sustainable manner, and must be subject to appropriate environmental planning and safeguards.
Energy is a sector that potentially poses the greatest threat to migratory soaring birds in the region. International investment in renewable energy, notably but not exclusively wind energy is leading to a very high number of ambitious large scale development plans (for example Egypt and Lebanon plan to have respectively 20% and 12% target of their energy met by renewable energy by 2020)
As a fledgling industry, many of the impacts of renewable energy upon birds are poorly understood. Therefore, the consultant will be expected to follow established guidelines for best practice assessment for impacts on birds and adapt them to consider appropriate assessment of MSBs within the development plans. The guidelines should include the principle content and structure of birds’ assessment study.
The guidelines should make reference to the need to strengthen and expand local capacity to lead these assessments in the medium term. The guidelines should thus outline that the use of international expertise can be justified where it incorporates the concurrent development of local and national capacity in undertaking the assessment. Thus building sustainable local input into the assessment procedure for future work
Wind energy:
There are great overlaps between the geographical areas identified and earmarked for producing the highest return for wind energy and the known migration routes for soaring birds as both exploit the same resource. Thus there is an urgent need for the assessment process to appropriately consider the potential impacts upon MSBs from energy developments in the region.
Pre-construction risk assessment:
It is necessary in the EIA process to assess the range of potential impacts of the development of wind turbines upon soaring birds. Identified potential impacts upon birds include
- Casualties and expected direct mortality through collision with turbines or transmission line collision within the zone of influence
- Loss of roosting and congregation sites through change in land use, barrier effect of birds being displaced from contiguous habitats
The Consultant will need to address to what extent these impacts could affect MSBs and how to adapt established guidelines to consider the peculiar needs of large numbers of birds passing through a site at specific times of year.
Wind energy is a growing field of knowledge and as such there remain many uncertainties as to the measuring of impacts on birds. There is a clear need within the industry to develop and undertake extensive post construction monitoring protocols to inform the EIA process, and help refine and develop mitigation for impacts upon MSBs.
A development of post-construction monitoring protocols will also be required under this consultancy. Monitoring will need to consider:
- Assessment of direct mortality at wind turbines
- Procedures for enabling “shutdown-on-demand” programme
- The effectiveness of mitigation measures put in place to reduce mortalities and habitat loss
- Assessment of barrier effect of different wind farm on birds’ migration.
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Overall objective:
To ensure that the risk assessment and management process for wind energy and associated infrastructure in Egypt appropriately takes consideration and effectively addresses key conservation concerns with regards to Migratory Soaring Birds (MSBs).
Scope of work:
- Review and describe existing and planned wind energy and power transmission developments in Egypt within the main MSB flyways, providing as much detail on development status, size and extent, funding sources, etc. Spatial data in the form of maps would be an important asset.
- Review and describe the currently established EIA process with regards to wind energy and power transmission, including a review of past and ongoing EIAs conducted for the sector. Identify gaps and weaknesses relevant to MSB conservation considerations.
- Based on the previous two steps develop guidelines for mainstreaming MSB concerns into the existing EIA process, taking into consideration the need to address strategic level concerns, in addition to site / project specific concerns. The proposed guidelines should be practical and applicable to the Egyptian setting.
- Based on international best practice and the existing experience within the Egyptian setting, establish proposed monitoring protocols for MSBs, including: Pre-construction risk assessments (this would be a standard component of the EIA process), and post-construction monitoring (to evaluate accuracy of pre-construction risk assessment predictions, and to assess the success of prescribed mitigation measures including shut down). These protocols are to be submitted to the EEAA EIA department for formal adoption and should form the official standard requested from prospective developers in the future, and should be formulated with that aspect in mind.
- Effectively mainstream the above guidance and best practices with and within the concerned stakeholders through an intimate consultation process and communication. It is important that the guidance developed here is formulated in close consultation, particularly with the main regulatory organizations that are overseeing the risk assessment and management process.
- Organize and moderate a technical workshop to expose, review and discuss the products of this consultancy with concerned parties and stakeholders.
Expected deliverables:
- Report detailing the results of the constancy, describing methodology, participants, main contacts in each organization, detailed data collected, describing proposed guidelines and possible management arrangements, next steps, capacity needs, and other relevant information. The report should be organized according to the items in the scope of work above. Item 4 should include a discreet document (in appendix) that can be presented to the EEAA for adoption as part of their internal technical specifications (this has to be developed in close consultation with the EEAA EIA Dept.).
- Technical workshop to expose, review and discuss the products of this consultancy with concerned parties and stakeholders. This should be a small workshop involving individuals involved in the study and concerned managers in the relevant organizations (additional financial resources will be needed to complete this task).
Special requirements / considerations
- The consultant is expected to spend a substantive length of time in Egypt to work with the local stakeholders.
- The guidance developed for Egypt could be utilized as a prototype on a wider scale for the rest of the MSB region (Red Sea / Rift Valley).
Work program:
- First draft to be delivered within 2 months of contract award
- Workshop held within one month of first draft
- Final report within 2 weeks after workshop.
The consultant should put together a bid that can include his/her services exclusively or can subcontract to other consultants as needed. The senior consultant will be responsible for the overall management & supervision of other consultants i.e. hiring & contracting, payments, etc. as well as the output in its entirely. The Consultant will hold the overall accountability to fulfill the timely delivery of the activities and deliverables specified in this TORs, and will be responsible for:
- Overall implementation of the contract and delivery of all requirements specified in this document.
- Submit regular reports and implementation work plan to the Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component - Egypt on the below reporting plan.
- All the supportive photos and materials produced during this consultancy are part of consultancy and must be delivered to Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component – Egypt.
- Notify the Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component - Egypt in writing, upon the successful completion of each deliverable and provide all required supporting documentation.
The selected consultant /firm will be contracted by Nature conservation Egypt (NCE) on behalf of the Migratory Soaring Bird Project – Egypt National Component, in close coordination with the RFF & UNDP-Egypt. The roles of each party are:
Migratory Soaring Birds –National component - Egypt:
The NCE Flyway Officer and National Project Manager will supervise and coordinate the work of the Consultant, in close consultation and with the close involvement of the Regional Flyway Officers in the Middle East and Africa, and will be responsible for:
- Direct contract management for the consultancy.
- Facilitating data provision, collection and communication with project partners for the Consultant.
- Coordinate technical delivery of the contract and provide technical assistance when needed.
- Supervision and regular follow up on consultancy progress and contract implementation.
- Revision and approval of consultancy deliverables and reporting.
- Manage payments based on approved deliverables and payment arrangement below.
Reporting:
Upon contract award, the Consultant shall provide the National component - Egypt with a proposed consultancy work plan covering all the activities described in this document, detailed list of tasks, and implementation schedule. National component - Egypt will revise the above and comment if necessary within 5 days, once agreed upon, the new plan shall be adopted and shall form the basis for project supervision and monitoring.
Throughout the assignment, the Consultant shall present bi-weekly written summary progress reports to the Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component - Egypt (content to be agreed on start of implementation). Any proposed amendments or deviation from the implementation plan and / or time extension is subject to approval by the Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component – Egypt.
All deliverables should be reported in appropriate format with all supporting documentation to the Migratory Soaring Birds Project, National component - Egypt. Upon submission, the deliverables will be reviewed by National component - Egypt and the RFF subject to contract terms and the Consultant will be given the approval on submitted deliverables or recommendation for amendments within 15 days from the date of receiving the deliverables and reports.
Remuneration and Disbursement:
The consultant/firm should send their remuneration for this assignment.
No cost extension and sub-contracting are subject to the written approval of National component - Egypt. Any travel and accommodation expenses relating to the consultancy will be covered separately and will require prior discussion and agreement with Migratory Soaring Birds – National component - Egypt.
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