Background 

Wetlands International is the only global not-for-profit organization fully dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wetlands. Our vision is a world where wetlands are treasured and nurtured for their beauty, the life they support and the resources they provide.  

Within the framework of the “Save Our Mangroves Now!” (SOMN) initiative, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Wetlands International is awarding a contract for analysis of the vulnerability of mangrove forests to sea level rise. 

The Save our Mangroves Now! (SOMN) Initiative  

Wetlands International, as part of a consortium with WWF Germany and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is implementing an international initiative for the protection of mangroves. Now in its third phase (SOMN3), the four partners are working together to stop global mangrove loss under the title “Save Our Mangroves Now!” (SOMN). The overall project goal is to ensure that the conservation and restoration of mangroves are accelerated and scaled up in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region for the benefit of people, biodiversity, and climate through the implementation of existing national and regional commitments. 

SOMN3 builds on the achievements, findings and lessons learnt from the first two phases of the initiative (SOMN1 & SOMN2), which focused on developing knowledge products, capacity-building, advancing policy at the various levels from international to regional (WIO) and national (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania), as well as accelerating partnerships related to mangrove conservation and restoration. In its third phase, SOMN focuses on further supporting the implementation of the commitments made by Mozambique and Kenya towards mangroves protection, aims to support the WIO region in unlocking additional finance, and build capacity on international best practice tools, knowledge and initiatives. 

The project is designed as a WIO regional contribution to the Global Mangrove Breakthrough, which aims to unlock USD 4 billion to secure the future of 15 million hectares of mangroves globally by 2030 through collective action on halting mangrove loss, restoring half of recent losses, doubling protection of mangroves globally and ensuring sustainable long-term finance for all existing mangroves. To achieve this in the Western Indian Ocean region, SOMN aims to reduce barriers to effective mangrove conservation and restoration in the Western Indian Ocean region. These barriers are regularly identified as lacking policies, limited capacities and limited financial resources. The project therefore has the following sub-objectives: 

1. National and local policy frameworks on mangroves restoration and conservation are enhanced; 
2. Government representatives, practitioners and community representatives working in mangrove management have the knowledge and capacity to successfully implement restoration activities at scale; 
3. Additional finance options for upscaling mangrove restoration are initiated. 

Context 

Mangroves play a crucial role in buffering coastal areas from the impacts of sea level rise and extreme weather events by stabilizing shorelines, reducing wave energy, and trapping sediment. Their dense root systems help build elevation, making them natural defenders against coastal erosion and flooding. However, rising sea levels also pose a significant threat to mangroves, especially where sediment supply is insufficient or where human activities limit their ability to migrate inland. Prolonged inundation and saltwater intrusion can weaken mangrove ecosystems, leading to dieback and loss of critical coastal protection. The survival of mangroves in a changing climate depends on factors such as landward migration space, sediment availability, and conservation efforts to mitigate human pressures. 

Objectives 

The primary objective is to inform policy and decision-making processes by guiding the prioritization of climate change adaptation interventions. The objectives are as follows:

• Identify areas of mangrove that are at risk due to future sea level rise
• Assess the vulnerability of these mangrove areas to sea level rise, considering for example elevation, extent of mangroves, mangrove fragmentation, coastal protection value, landward migration potential, sediment accretion and tidal inundation

Activities 

• Desk study to identify the best potential input data-sources 
• Analysis of these data and produce a spatially explicit layer with the results Write a short technical report on the methodology and conclusions for the 4 priority countries 

Requirements 

• The geographical scope of this study is the Western Indian Ocean, with a focus on Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and Mozambique.  
• Geospatial layer(s) to be made available under a CC-BY-4.0 license 

Deliverables 

• Geospatial layer with results of the analysis 
• Short technical report 

Profile of consultant 

The consultant/organization will have:

• Expertise in mangrove ecosystems 
• Expertise in earth observation and GIS 
• Familiarity with existing mangrove datasets and published literature 
• Other relevant skills needed to perform this consultancy 

Timing 

The work will take place between March 2025 and May 2025. 

Budget 

Wetlands International has a maximum available budget of 10,000 euros for this consultancy, including all taxes. 

Payment Schedule:

• 50% after signing the contract 
• 50% after acceptance of deliverables 

Technical and Financial Proposal 

A brief technical and financial proposal must be submitted to Wetlands International, including the proposed methodology, work plan, timeline and budget for the achievement of the deliverables. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Wetlands International will conduct a fair and transparent process to select successful consultants/ organizations. Below is the scoring that will be used to rank the proposals: 

Technical Evaluation: The maximum number of points allocated for the technical proposal is 85 

Financial evaluation: The maximum number of points allocated for the price component is 15 

The contract will be awarded to the offer scoring the highest combined scores for the technical and financial components. 

Contact 

Proposals should be sent to Wetlands International by Monday 10^th March 2025, to the attention of Lammert Hilarides, Senior Technical Officer at the following e-mail address: [email protected]