We provide international expert services

Our strong expertise and broad knowledge make Syke a reliable partner for international environmental projects.
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We are an internationally renowned research and expert organisation that enhances sustainable development and environmental protection broadly. In the projects of international expert services, we promote a sustainable future for all.

Syke has long experience in international environmental projects. Our experts are involved in numerous international projects and cooperation networks, providing valuable knowledge and innovative solutions to environmental challenges at different levels.

Strong expertise at the heart of collaboration

We export our expertise in environmental research and monitoring, as well as in governance and management.

Our projects of international expert services focus on strengthening the capacity of environmental administrations in the Global South and on research and expertise projects commissioned by different Directorates-General of the European Commission and other EU institutions.

References from our work

In the Global South and other countries that benefit from experience sharing, we provide expertise and peer support to environmental administration helping to build the administrative and management capacities of environmental authorities. The projects have been financed through the development cooperation funds of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (including the Institutional Cooperation Instrument, ICI).

  • In Ukraine, Syke supports the strengthening of environmental governance in surface water quality and biodiversity monitoring.
  • In Eastern Africa, in Zanzibar, Syke is involved in increasing climate resilience with integrated marine management and sustainable blue economy (BLUE-ZAN).
  • In addition, Syke experts have strengthened the capacity of environmental administrations in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Colombia, among others, by developing tools and skills to provide reliable information on water quality.

We also provide expert services to various institutions and agencies of the European Commission, as well as programs funded by the EU: 

  • Syke leads three thematic areas (freshwater benthic invertebrates, freshwater habitats and seagrass habitats), while contributing to others in the Preparatory Action Project for the EU Biodiversity Observation Coordination Centre (EBOCC)
  • Syke provides knowledge support for the European climate risk assessment (EUCRA)
  • Syke experts contribute to multiple themes of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), for example, Syke coordinates the EMODnet Seabed Habitats. 
  • Syke provides expertise in the use of land cover and satellite data for the European Environment Agency, most recently in the Corine Land Cover 2024 project. 
  • Syke leads the Rethinking Territories within Planetary Boundaries (TERRBOUND, espon.eu) project with the aim to address the seismic transformation required in how European territories are planned and governed within planetary boundaries to ensure long-term environmental sustainability and resilience.

We also participate in EU Twinning projects.

Projects of International expert services

You can find our ongoing and completed projects here.

Global

Ongoing projects:

Completed projects:

  • Water Cooperation and Peace - Finnish Water Way 
    Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, Ministry of the Environment of Finland, 2021–2024
  • UNEP - IRP Financing and Sustainability Transitions
    UNEP, 2021–2023
Asia & Caucasus

Ongoing projects:

Completed projects:

Africa & Middle East

Ongoing projects:

Completed projects:

Latin America

Most recent projects:

European countries

Ongoing projects:

EMODNET projects

CMEMS projects

  • CMEMS2 - Copernicus In-Situ Ocean Observations: Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), Provision of In-Situ Ocean Observation Products
    EU/Copernicus, 2022-2024, 2018-2021
  • CMEMS2 - Copernicus Ocean Colour Observation: Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service, Provision on Ocean Colour Observation Products
    EU/Copernicus, 2022-2024, 2018-2021

Projects for ESA

  • ESA - Snow Climate Change Initiative (Snow_cci)
    ESA, 2026-; 2022-2025, 2018-2021
  • ESA - BalticAIMS: BALTIC REGIONAL INITIATIVE - APPLICATIONS EXPRO+ RE-ISSUE
    ESA, 2024-2026, 2021-2023
  • ESA - SUP Urban HEATWISE: SENTINEL USERS PREPARATION (SUP) - APPLICATIONS PREPAREDNESS WITH STAKEHOLDER AND END-USERS PARTICIPATION 
    ESA, 2024-2026
  • ESA - SUP AQUATIME: SENTINEL USERS PREPARATION (SUP) - APPLICATIONS PREPAREDNESS WITH STAKEHOLDER AND END-USERS PARTICIPATION 
    ESA,  2024-2026

Other

Completed projects:

  • ESA - EO4Diversity:  Biodiversity Precursors Project, Theme 1 – “Terrestrial Ecosystems”
    ESA, 2021-2024
  • ESA - SnowPEx: Satellite Snow Product Intercomparison and Evaluation Exercise
    ESA, 2020-2023
  • ESA-SEOM-S1-4SCI Land: Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions
    ESA, 2016-2019
  • CoPaLo - Framework Contract for Copernicus Land Monitoring Services
    EU/EEA, 2017-2021
  • Lot 2 Natural Capital Accounting - Framework Service Contract for providing services in the area of natural capital and ecosystem assessment
    EU/EEA, 2018-2019
  • Strengthening the capacities for effective implementation of the acquis in the field of nature protection in North Macedonia
    EU Twinning, 2017-2019
  • EU- Copernicus Land FWC Lot 2 - Operation of the Global Land component, thematic domain cryosphere and water, participation in several assignments under the contract 
    EU/Copernicus, 2016-2020
  • Montenegro - Natura 2000: Establishment of Natura 2000 network
    EC/EuropeAid 2016-2019
  • Mercator Ocean - Aquatic marine services: Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service
    2015-2018
  • Expert services for the development of the Barents Protected Area Network (BPAN), phase II
    Finnish Ministry of the Environment, 2015-2017
  • Expert services for the development of the Green Belt Fennoscandia
    Finnish Ministry of the Environment, 2015-2017
  • EC DG ENV – Framework contract for services related to coordination between the different marine regions in implementing the ecosystem approach 
    EC, 2013-2017
  • EMODNet Chemistry: Knowledge Base for growth and innovation in ocean economy: assembly and dissemination of marine data for seabed mapping (EMODNet)
    EC DG MARE, 2013-2016
  • EC DG MARE – EMODNet: Knowledge Base for growth and innovation in ocean economy: assembly and dissemination of marine data for seabed mapping 
    EC, 2013-2016
  • Framework contract for services related to the development of methodological standards in relation to good environmental status of the seas under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)
    (ENV.D2/FRA/2012/0019), participation in three assignments under the contract.

We strengthen capacities 

Underwater nature of Zanzibar, Tanzania, is spectacular with its coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests. Marine life is however facing severe threats as coastal zone is affected by increasing tourism, coastal building, overfishing and also climate change. Increasing Climate Resilience of Zanzibar with Integrated Marine Management and Sustainable Blue Economy (BLUE-ZAN) aims to enhance the marine and coastal resources management and protection in Zanzibar through improved capacities to map and monitor the status of said natural environments. Improving marine and coastal resources management and protection is to enhance sustainable blue economy. BLUE-ZAN builds on the institutional partnerships and results achieved within the earlier ICI project ‘National spatial data infrastructure for integrated coastal and marine spatial planning’ (ZAN-SDI, 2016-2019).

Arsenic contamination in water is a serious health concern, especially in the Terai region of Nepal. The awareness raising video produced in the NeAs project presents solutions on how to reduce our exposure to arsenic through different measures:

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Are you looking for these?

International expert services within the Syke organisation
Ukraine Finland Environmental Monitoring (UFEM)
Finnish Water Way for Peace – Water Diplomacy Platform
Increasing climate resilience of Zanzibar with integrated marine management and sustainable blue economy (BLUE-ZAN)
Towards sustainable groundwater management and improved water supply services in Nepal - NeAs+
EMODnet - Seabed Habitats: Operation, development and maintenance of a European Marine Observation and Data Network

More information

Tea Törnroos

Head of international services
+358 29 525 1714

International expert services

international.consulting@syke.fi
Published 25.11.2024 / Updated 30.3.2026