Terms of References (TORs)
International waste management & migratory bird consultancy
Mainstreaming Conservation of Migratory Soaring Birds into Key Productive Sectors along the Rift Valley/Red Sea Flyway
Regional component (00051312)
Under the auspices of the UNDP/GEF Migratory Soaring Birds project, BirdLife International seeks an international consultancy with experience in relation to the environmental aspects of waste management sector and in particular the impacts of waste management on migratory birds.
The consultancy will be asked to review international best practice in addressing environmental issues in solid and liquid waste management, giving particular attention to issues that impact on migratory birds, and to synthesise best practice in addressing impacts and maximising conservation outcomes from waste management. The consultant will be required to pay particular attention to issues that are relevant to the Middle East and North Africa region, and that are of significance in relation to the regions’ location on the Red Sea –Rift Valley migration flyway. The consultant will be required to advise on opportunities and approaches to mainstream conservation concerns into the waste management sector. With particular consideration to the Middle East and North Africa region, the consultancy will produce the following three reports: (1) a synthesis report on the impacts of waste management on migratory birds; (2) best practice guidance on addressing migratory bird conservation in the waste management sector, and (3) opportunities to engage with and mainstream migratory bird conservation into the waste management sector.
The consultancy will be working with a regional consultant to undertake this assignment, with this person expected to provide experience and insight from the region.
Contents
Introduction 1
Overall objective: 2
Scope of work 2
Deliverables 3
Activities 3
Implementation and delivery schedule 6
Roles and responsibilities 7
Payment schedule 8
Qualifications 8
Submission of expressions of interest 8
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Introduction
The Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway is the second most important flyway for migratory soaring birds (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 the Migratory Soaring Birds 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 will pilot a new, innovative and cost-effective approach, termed "double-mainstreaming", that seeks to integrate flyway issues into existing and new national or donor-funded "vehicles" of reform or change management in the key sectors through the provision of technical tools, content, services and support.
Waste management is considered to an increasing problem along the flyway as human populations rise and industrialization increases. Waste management can be poor in the region with examples of solid waste thrown into open pits, burned, or dumped into rivers and lakes, and waste water and effluents discharged directly into rivers without prior treatment. Municipal rubbish tips can be poorly managed with large amounts of exposed waste, and issues arising with toxic materials. Open land-fill sites and waste water treatment plants can attract, injure, and kill migratory soaring birds. Poorly managed Waste sites with large amounts of exposed waste attract scavenging birds including soaring raptors. Visiting birds can ingest toxic substances and become entangled in plastic, wire, and other debris, or injured by metal scrap or fire. Large numbers of birds are known to die at poorly managed waste water treatment facilities (domestic and industrial) due to drowning, entrapment in sludge (due to inappropriate pond designs), or through ingestion of contaminated water or food. Waste sites can pose a particular threat in desert environments where, after crossing the Sahara, they represent an obvious and attractive source of food and water to migratory birds. Although efforts have been made to address the waste disposal issue in some countries, it is often only the aesthetic aspect of the problem that is addressed and ecological impacts can be ignored.
Accidental poisoning of raptors at open rubbish tips from poison baits set to control scavenging foxes, jackals and feral dogs is a related problem in some areas of the Middle East. Such baits are the cheapest way to control predators at waste sites and risks to other animals are not recognised by, or are unimportant to, site managers.
However, where waste sites are designed and managed properly, especially open waste-water treatment plants, e.g. at Aqaba in Jordan, they can provide important and safe habitat for birds. There are often opportunities through positive management to create habitat for migratory birds within the footprint of waste management sites. Properly managed sewage beds and sustainable drainage systems utilising reeds to filtrate water can offer valuable habitat for migratory species and this potential positive management of waste management merits consideration within the scope of the work. Habitats such as sludge beds can be manipulated to provide feeding resources and breeding habitats for migratory birds. Management of the buffer zone within land fill sites, can also provide opportunities for positive management for migratory soaring birds
Systematic and quantitative data relating to the issue on the flyway is again lacking, but a number of sites have been reported to be a threat to migratory soaring birds including the River Hasbani in Lebanon, where domestic and industrial waste management are considered major problems; Taiz solid waste dump and lagoons in Yemen, where cement, pesticide and soap factories and livestock breeding facilities dispose of their waste and where thousands of storks and raptors feed, and at Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt where White Storks congregate at rubbish tips. In addition, there are the numerous tourist resorts along the Red Sea coast, and military camps, e.g. along the coast in Yemen and Djibouti. In Egypt and Sudan there are unregulated discharges of industrial effluents into the River Nile, Suez Canal and coastal areas, where much of both countries’ industries are based, such as a manufacturing and industrial zone and port at Ain Sukhna, Suez, Egypt, which is a very important bottleneck for migratory soaring birds, with many other areas identified for future industrial development, e.g. El Qah Plain in Egypt. Consultancy objectives, scope of work and deliverables
Overall objective:
The overall objective of the consultancy is to review international experience in addressing environmental issues in solid and liquid waste management, giving particular attention to issues that impact on migratory birds, and to synthesise best practice in addressing impacts and maximising conservation outcomes from waste management.
Scope of work
The consultant will be required to pay particular attention to issues that are relevant to the Middle East and North Africa region, and that are of significance in relation to the regions’ location on the Red Sea –Rift Valley migration flyway. The consultant will be required to advise on opportunities and approaches to mainstream conservation concerns into the waste management sector. Where feasible and appropriate the international consultant will work alongside a regional consultant who is being hired to provide insight and experience from the Middle East – North Africa region, and this will require close liaison to minimise any duplication in the review of material.
Deliverables
With particular consideration given to the Middle East and North Africa region, the consultancy will produce the following three reports:
(1) A synthesis report on the impacts of waste management on migratory birds;
(2) Best practice guidance on addressing migratory bird conservation in the waste management sector,
(3) Opportunities to engage with and mainstream migratory bird conservation into the waste management sector
All deliverables shall be delivered on time (schedule outlined below) and in electronic form in Microsoft Word. Reports should be in English, fully referenced, and should be accompanied by copies (preferably in pdf format) of relevant reviews and best practice guidance that are of particular significance.
Activities
Activity 1: Review of the impacts of waste management on migratory birds
The consultancy will search, review and analyse available reports, documents and web-based content on the waste management sector that are relevant to the objective of the assignment as outlined above. In undertaking this review they will give particular attention to international experience and best practice that is relevant to the conservation of migratory birds in the Middle East – North Africa. The review will, inter alia, consider:
(1) Existing evidence of the potential negative impacts of waste management on migratory birds;
(2) Existing evidence of the positive impacts of waste management on migratory birds, e.g. in relation to habitat creation; or as a feeding resource
(3) Issues relating to the disposal of solid and liquid waste including domestic and industrial waste including waste arising from tourism development;
(4) Consideration of any indirect aspects of waste management in relation to migratory birds that need to be considered (e.g. in relation to proximity to airports, drinking water reservoirs etc.)
(5) Existing standards and best practice in waste management that are being followed by the industry that are relevant to the conservation of migratory birds;
(6) Existing standards and best practice that are being applied by regulatory authorities in assessing and avoiding the negative impacts of waste management, e.g. in relation to EIA frameworks and processes;
(7) Existing standards and best practice that are being applied by financing and donor agencies in assessing and avoiding the negative impacts of waste management, e.g. through donor safeguard policies and practices;
(8) Examples (case studies) of good and bad practice that is relevant to the above.
Activity 2: Preparation of best practice guidance on addressing migratory bird conservation in the waste management sector
Based on the review of material outlined above, and the synthesis report produced, the consultant will be required to prepare guidance for addressing migratory bird conservation in the waste management sector in the Middle East. This guidance needs to be tailored and presented for potential application by:
(1) The industry including private sector and municipal authorities – those parties that are responsible for waste and its management;
(2) Government regulatory authorities particular agencies responsible for overseeing environmental aspects of waste management;
(3) Consultancy firms that have a role in assessing and avoiding impacts;
(4) Donors and financial institutions that are providing the financial resources for waste management in the Middle East and North Africa;
(5) Other sectors (e.g. tourism) that might indirectly have an influence on waste management practices
It is expected that as well as minimising the risks apparent within waste management sites for birds, this guidance will also outline opportunities for the waste management industry to maximise the potential positive impacts for birds through the management of buffer habitat and use of sustainable drainage systems, which can, with limited habitat modifications, provide a valuable habitat for birds.
The guidance should consider the best means of assessment within the EIA process for waste management sites. Site assessment should consider the neighbouring land use and the likelihood that Migratory soaring birds will be attracted to the site. Thus sites located next to areas which could cause conflict with MSB’s should be avoided ( EG: Wind farms, Energy infrastructure)
The guidance should also consider recommendations for operation within the EIA structure: taking opportunities for positive management, and recommendations for developing a monitoring plan where required to manage and monitor MSB usage and issues arising during operation.
The guidance should also consider the post-operation restoration process for sites with specific life spans and how this can practically restore habitat and provide long term positive impacts for MSB’s.
Activity 3: Recommendations on opportunities to engage with and mainstream migratory bird conservation into the waste management sector
Based on knowledge of the sector, and again with due consideration to the Middle East – North Africa region, the consultant will identify opportunities that the Migratory Soaring Birds Team might take to mainstream best practice guidance on addressing migratory bird conservation into the waste management sector. This will include opportunities to engage with industry forums, associations, conferences, environmental practitioners, existing and proposed initiatives in the region etc. Working with the regional consultant, this will also include existing and proposed waste management projects in the region.
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Implementation and delivery schedule
The Consultant/firm is expected to complete and submit the deliverables specified in the above section based on the following schedule.
ID / Activity / DeliverableNov. 2013 / Dec.
2013
1 / Activity 1: Review of the impacts of waste management on migratory birds / D1.1: Outline of synthesis report for approval by project team
D1.2: A draft synthesis report on the impacts of waste management on migratory birds for review by the project team
2 / Activity 2: Preparation of best practice guidance on addressing migratory bird conservation in the waste management sector / D2.1: Outline of best practice guidance for approval by project team
2 / D2.2: Draft of best practice guidance for review by the project team
3 / Activity 3: Recommendations on opportunities to engage with and mainstream migratory bird conservation into the waste management sector / D3.1: Draft recommendations
Roles and responsibilities