Brussels, Jan 2004
The European Environment Agency has published a call for tenders for supporting the assessment of progress towards halting biodiversity loss with respect to the marine environment.
The EU's sixth environment action programme (6EAP) sets the target of halting the loss of biodiversity in Europe by 2010 ('The 2010 biodiversity target'). It identifies the major environmental pressures and problems for biodiversity:
- pollution from transport, industry and agriculture;
- changes in land use and over exploitation of natural resources;
- non-native species, including GMOs;
- climate change and expected effects on biodiversity.
The purpose of the contract is to support a planned EEA report 'Halting biodiversity loss' with respect to the marine environment and sustainable fishery. The objective of the study is to assess progress towards reducing the loss of biodiversity by highlighting the main pressures, the biodiversity state/impact and specific responses in relation to these pressures. As far as possible the assessment should be based upon indicators, but case studies may be used to support a line of reasoning.
EEA staff will work actively on the 'Halting biodiversity loss' report. The contractor will need to perform the study while in regular contact with the project coordinator/and or other EEA staff and, for example, experts from the European Topic Centres (ETCs) responsible for other sections of the report. The contractor shall, as regards indicator development, cooperate closely with the ETCs supporting the EEA, in particular the following: ETC water (Lot 1) and/or the ETC nature protection and biodiversity, and the ETC terrestrial environment (Lot 2).
Biodiversity in seas and oceans suffers from a number of pressures of varying intensity. It is suggested that the discussion on the pressures and resulting impacts on biodiversity is structured under the following headings (which may be merged):
1. nature protection (including threatened species);
2. fishing;
3. mariculture;
4. alien species;
5. eutrophication;
6. contaminants (pollution);
7. offshore activities and shipping;
8. construction (incl. land reclamation, dredging & dumping);
9. recreational and tourist infrastructure;
10. climate change.
The results should primarily be given with respect to the large marine ecosystems connected to Europe: the Arctic ocean, the North-East Atlantic ocean, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
For further information, please contact:
European Environment Agency
Attn: Jimmy Flindt
Tel: +45 33 36 71 50
E-mail: Jimmy.flindt@eea.eu.int
To see the full details of the call, please consult the following web address:
http://ted.publications.eu.int/static/do ccur/en/en/13597-2004.htm
Remarks: The deadline for submitting tender documents is 6.3.2004.
Before contacting the EEA, tenderers are strongly advised to consult the original call text in the Official Journal of the European Union at the reference below.
Document Reference: OJ No S 17-013597 of 24.1.2004