We provide international expert services
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, such as the European .
- 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.
We also participate in EU Twinning projects.
Projects of International expert services
You can find our ongoing and completed projects here.
Global
Ongoing projects:
- Finnish Water Way for Peace – Water Diplomacy Platform Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, Ministry of the Environment of Finland, 2025–2028
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:
- Consolidating Institutional Capacities for National Surface Water Quality Monitoring in the Kyrgyz Republic (KGZ-Water III)
ICI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2021–2025 - Development of Tajik surface Water Monitoring by Quality Management and Collaboration (TJK Water Quality II)
ICI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2021–2025
Completed projects:
- Towards arsenic safe drinking water in Nepal (NeAs)
ICI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2020–2024 - Programme for Finland's Water Sector Support to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan FinWaterWEI II
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2014–2019 - Programme for Finland's Water Sector Support to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (FinWaterWEI II)
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2014–2018 - Capacity Building of the Kyrgyz Republic on Son-Kul Lake status assessment for environmentally sustainable development (KGZ-Water / Son-Kul )
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2016–2018 - Capacity building on surface water quality monitoring in Tajikistan (TJK-Water)
(Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2015–2018) - Formation of Decision-Making System Aimed at Ecological and Economic Development of Issyk-Kul Lake's Territory Based on Results of Environment Monitoring (KGZ-Water / Issyk-Kul)
(Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2014–2018)
Africa & Middle East
Ongoing projects:
-
Increasing Climate Change Resilience of Zanzibar with Integrated Marine Management and Sustainable Blue Economy (BLUE-ZAN)
(ICI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2023-2027)
Completed projects:
- National Spatial Data Infrastructure for Integrated Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning in Zanzibar (ZAN-SDI)
(Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2016-2019) - Aquatic Monitoring for Sustainable Dredging in Northern Lakes of Egypt (Egypt ICI - Dredging)
(Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2017-2019)
Latin America
Most recent projects:
- Strengthening water quality monitoring and assessment in Colombia (COFI water)
(ICI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2019-2023) - Regional Andean Programme to Enhance Weather, Water, Climate Services and Development, the Andean Region - Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
(ICI, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2013-2016) - Planning of environmental reference center in Chile (2017)
European countries
Ongoing projects:
- Ukraine Finland Environmental Monitoring (UFEM),
(ICI, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, 2024-2028)
EMODNET projects
- EMODNet - Seabed habitats: Operation, development and maintenance of a European Marine Observation and Data Network
(EU/CINEA, 2025-2027, 2023-2025, 2021-2023, 2019-2021, 2017-2019) - EMODNet - Biology: Operation, development and maintenance of a European Marine Observation and Data Network
(EU/CINEA, 2025-2027, 2023-2025, 2021-2023, 2017-2021) - EMODNET - Chemistry: Operation, development and maintenance of a European Marine Observation and Data Network
(EU/CINEA, 2025-2027, 2023-2025, 2021-2023, 2019-2021, 2017-2019)
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, 2022-2024, 2018-2021) - 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 - BalticAIMS: BALTIC REGIONAL INITIATIVE - APPLICATIONS EXPRO+ RE-ISSUE
(ESA, 2021-2023) - ESA-SEOM-S1-4SCI Land: Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions
(ESA, 2016-2019)
Other
- Copernicus HR-WSI validation – Copernicus Land Monitoring Service – Validation of High Resolution Water, Snow, and Ice (Lot2)
(EU/EEA, 2023-2024, 2025) - Knowledge support for European climate risk assessment (EUCRA)
(EU/EEA, 2022-2023) - 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)
Completed projects:
- 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:
