A CALL TO ACTION:
Climate Responsible Land Governance
and Disaster Resilience:
Safeguarding Land Rights

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FOREWORDS

Foreword by FIG President Diane Dumashie:

This FIG Nepal CALL TO ACTION on Climate Responsible Land Governance and Disaster Resilience underscores the imperative for land professionals to act in a climate responsive way. The publication is
an outcome of the deliberations at the FIG Regional Conference in Katmandu, Nepal, November 2024. It highlights that Climate Change has a huge impact on vulnerable populations and landscapes, such as in the mountainous regions of Nepal.

The publication presents the conference purpose and the emerging global to local cooperative efforts seen within our survey community. It is a milestone FIG document on Climate Action demonstrating our purposeful articulation and contribution to the greatest challenge we face as land professionals.

Climate action is a key focus of the FIG Work Plan 2023–2026 and the FIG Vision to ‘serve and leave no-one behind.’ It is not enough to be sustainable … we need to also be resilient. As a profession we need to act together to generate knowledge and climate resilient land for people and the planet. For this reason, we created the FIG Climate Compass Task Force to steer us and chart our way forward. With support from all FIG Commissions, we increase our knowledge, skills and tools to adapt and mitigate climate change.

This CALL TO ACTION, as agreed at the conference, includes practical strategies for all land professionals to address climate change and provide disaster resilience. A significant outcome of the conference was the creation of a collaborative Asia regional partnership linked to the CALL TO ACTION. In this regard some resolutions focused on bridging regional gaps in practical knowledge, capacity implementation, resources and coordination.

Surveyors are a crucial bridge between environmental policy and practice. This will be best achieved by informing and working with partners. We need government led solutions which go to scale. The industry work force needs to be scaled up and young surveyors are the key to our role as a profession delivering solutions. We can innovate with new technology that facilitates scenario development on climate change and action to guide decision makers. We can demonstrate how important it is to integrate climate geospatial data, including geo-earth observations, with land administration systems. All this work must be shaped by our professional ethics and standards. We must work collaboratively and in partnership with climate stakeholders and other experts. Land rights must be safeguarded, including the rights of vulnerable people while, at the same time, supporting adaptation and mitigation measures.

We acknowledge those who made this conference a success through the power of partnerships. This includes the Nepal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Nepal’s Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation. We strongly recognise the role of Ganesh Prasad Bhatta, Joint Secretary of the Ministry, who was ably supported by a large local team, including Tina Baidar and Sanjeevan Shrestha, and many more too numerous to name. Thanks also goes to FIG global partners from the World Bank, supporting the conference with a multiple session programme, and to the support and contributions of UN-Habitat/Global Land Tool Network, as well as ideas and programme input from Kadaster International. Our grateful thanks for the efforts of Dr. Clarissa Augustinus, Co-chair of the Climate Compass Task Force, as the lead author and coordinator for this publication.

It is our hope that this CALL TO ACTION will resonate and inform the FIG global community, and that the knowledge will be widely applied throughout the world and especially in vulnerable countries. The future we want supports the United Nations SDG global agenda. It is about ‘People’ – the responsible governance of tenure; ‘Partnerships’ – global to local; ‘Peace’ – human rights and equity; our ‘Planet’ – addressing the impact of climate change and natural disaster; and ‘Prosperity’ – economic growth, livelihoods, jobs, land and property.

Through the work of the organising team, the unwavering support of our global partners and the knowledge sharing, and openness to new ideas from our delegates, we successfully held an Asian regional conference on climate producing this publication and a CALL TO ACTION.

Diane A Dumashie,
FIG President (2023–2026)

Foreword by Co-Conference Director Ganesh Prasad Bhatta

It is with great pride and heartfelt gratitude that we present this publication, a remarkable outcome of  the successful FIG Regional Conference 2024 held in Kathmandu, Nepal. This event, hosted by the Nepal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (NICS), under the prestigious banner of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), marked a pivotal milestone for our country and the region. The realisation of such a largescale event has been a long-cherished dream, reflecting our collective determination and collaboration.

The theme of the conference, ‘Climate-Responsive Land Governance and Disaster Resilience: Safeguarding Land Rights,’ was chosen with the aim of addressing some of the most urgent challenges we face today. Climate change and natural disasters pose significant threats to land rights and societal resilience. This publication encapsulates the knowledge, insights, and innovative solutions shared during the conference, aiming to promote climate-responsive land governance and inspire actions that foster resilient communities. We are confident that the contributions compiled here resonate that vision and provide valuable guidance for advancing these critical objectives.

This publication stands as a testament to the meaningful partnerships and collaborations fostered during the conference. Over 280 participants from more than 30 countries – including national and regional institutions, academics, professionals, governments, development partners, NGOs, non-state actors, and private sector representatives – came together to exchange knowledge, ignite dialogue, and facilitate technology transfer. The conclusion of the event with a CALL TO ACTION was a powerful outcome intended to guide government agencies, professional organisations, and stakeholders in aligning their efforts with the conference’s objectives.

As we reflect on the success of this event, we are reminded of the Nepali principle of “Atithi Devo Bhava” or “The Guest is God.” We endeavoured to extend our warmest hospitality to all participants and hope that the vibrant culture, rich history, and natural beauty of Kathmandu left a lasting impression. For our Nepali attendees, we trust this event provided invaluable opportunities to expand professional networks and gain fresh perspectives on the pressing issues at hand.

We extend our deepest gratitude to FIG for entrusting us with the opportunity to host this conference in Nepal. We are equally thankful to our co-organisers, partners, sponsors, esteemed speakers, and distinguished participants for their generous support and contributions, which made this event possible. Most importantly, I would like to take this opportunity to extend heartiest thankfulness to some of the imminent personalities for their support including Mr. Tirtha Bahadur Pradhanang, the President of NICS, for trusting me to lead the local organising committee. I also want to thank Dr. Diane Dumashie, the President of FIG for her visionary leadership and inspiring contributions, and my counterpart Ms. Louise Friis-Hansen, the FIG Director and Co-conference Director for her hard work and guidance throughout successful completion of the event. Dr. Clarissa Augustinus, who extraordinarily contributed to the success of the event, by leading the publication and technical aspects. Ms. Paula Dijkstra, the Director of Kadaster International, for her instrumental role in shaping this event despite being unable to attend the event in person. Mr. Janak Raj Joshi, the Executive Director of the Land Management Training Center, for hosting the pre-event of the Young Surveyors’ meeting. Ms. Tina Baidar and Mr. Sanjeevan Shrestha for their tireless efforts during the event, and all those who have contributed in one way or another. This event would not have been successful without the continued support and encouragement of the Government of Nepal, particularly the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, under the distinguished leadership of Honourable Minister Mr. Bala Ram Adhikari and Secretary Mr. Arjun Prasad Pokharel. I extend my highest regards and sincere appreciation to them.

This publication is more than a record of the event, it is a resource for continued learning and a CALL TO ACTION. We hope it serves as an enduring source of inspiration for advancing climate-responsive land governance and building resilient communities. May it inspire innovative ideas, enduring partnerships, and meaningful progress in the years to come.

Ganesh Prasad Bhatta
Chair, LOC / Co-Conference Director / FIG Representative-NICS

Executive Summary

This International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Regional Conference on ‘Climate responsive land governance and disaster resilience: safeguarding land rights,’ focused on South Asia, was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from the 14–16 November 2024. The conference was hosted by the Nepal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (NICS), the sole member association of FIG from Nepal. The World Bank was a key partner organisation in the conference. As part of the conference a workshop on ‘Land Use Planning in Nepal: Opportunities, Challenges, and Prospects’ was organised by the World Bank in partnership with the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation
(MLMCPA) and FIG.

The conference addressed the most challenging issue of our time, the climate crisis which is affecting all the countries in the region. Because of the importance of climate change to the global community, FIG decided to examine and actively promote the engagement and role that surveyors can have in contributing to the climate change agenda. The conference was a major milestone in achieving the FIG vision on rethinking the way climate challenges are addressed, thus enabling FIG to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda. Climate underpins the FIG Council’s vision of sustainability over the term 2023–2026. The conference demonstrated that the expertise of surveyors means they are well positioned to make a major contribution to addressing a wide range of climate change issues.

The Conference provided an opportunity for networking, learning, providing practical knowledge and actionable recommendations about how surveyors and land practitioners can address climate and disaster in the region, also for vulnerable populations. This was done through a focus on 4 thematic areas: 1) Climate responsive land governance; 2) Natural disaster resilience for communities, professionals and organisations; 3) Cooperation and partnerships to safeguard land rights; and 4) Capacity development for communities, professionals and organisations. Three thought provoking inaugural and plenary sessions and numerous technical sessions provided an opportunity to present and reflect on good practices, lessons learnt and shared experiences on the critical role of surveyors and land practitioners in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change.

The conference achieved its two main objectives. The main objective was to build knowledge and capacity in the region to address climate change and disaster-induced challenges in safeguarding land rights of vulnerable groups, emphasising the critical role of land governance and resilience. The second objective was to foster collaborative partnerships among national and regional institutions, academics, and professionals to facilitate knowledge sharing and technology transfer at the regional level, and to build FIG’s presence in the region. Integral to these objectives was the adoption of a CALL TO ACTION. This was based on the innovative regional and national thinking presented at the conference, including a range of pioneering actions to address climate change and natural disasters. These actions are useful for governments, professionals, academics and NGOs.

Chapters

The Call to Action
Introduction
Key global perspectives and main messages
Some highlights from the technikcal sessions
Conclusions and summary

Read the full FIG Publication 83 in pdf

Copyright © The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG),  February 2025.

All rights reserved.

International Federation of Surveyors (FIG)
Kalvebod Brygge 31–33
DK-1780 Copenhagen V
DENMARK
Tel. + 45 38 86 10 81
E-mail: FIG@FIG.net
www.fig.net

Published in English
Copenhagen, Denmark
ISSN 1018-6530 (print)
ISSN 2311-8423 (pdf)
ISBN 978-87-93914-19-3 (print)
ISBN 978-87-93914-20-9 (pdf)

Published by
International Federation of Surveyors (FIG)
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