Two new FIG publications

The FIG publications are divided into four categories: Policy Statements, Guides, Reports, and Regulations. This helps readers to identify the profile and purpose of the various publications. Two new FIG reports have been published recently.

Publication 78: Geospatial Data in the 2020s – Transformative Power and Pathways to Sustainability

This FIG publication is the result of a very fruitful cooperation between FIG Commissions 3 (Spatial Information Management) and 8 (Spatial Planning and Development), together with the FIG Young Surveyor VCSP Volunteer Community Surveyor Program (VCSP) in recent years. The main editor of the publication is Hartmut Müller (chair of FIG Commission 3, 2019-2022) together with Claire Buxton, Marije Louwsma and Markus Schaffert. The current megatrends, such as climate change and resource scarcity, rapid advances in technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning, changes in global demographics – in particular the ongoing growth of the world’s population and the rapid ageing of populations in many countries – and global migration to megacities, are all causing disruptions and will pose major challenges in the coming years. Traditionally, land surveyors used to be viewed as ‘measurers’. In recent years, the surveyor has evolved to a professional who measures, models and manages all kinds of location-related data. Surveyors use open standards, incorporate volunteered information and ensure interoperability of systems to deliver knowledge derived from geospatial data of different scales and origin in the form of user-adapted geospatial information. This FIG report sheds light on several areas where geospatial data can be particularly useful in supporting the path to sustainability in the 2020s. These include for spatial land use planning and health monitoring, with data collection through voluntary geographic information, with attention to diversity and inclusion, and by providing information on property, including property values.

FIG Publication 79: Land Consolidation –The Fundamentals to Guide Practice

Land consolidation is a specialized land policy instrument, which has already been on the agenda within the FIG community for a long time. Papers about land consolidation are submitted for the FIG Working Week or Congress every year. FIG Commission 8 on Spatial Planning and Development, chaired by Marije Louwsma (2019-2022), decided to bundle the available international experiences, insights and knowledge into a FIG publication. The authors are Marije Louwsma, Walter de Vries and Morten Hartvigsen.

In view of climate change, sustainable land use and development is more urgent than ever. Land consolidation is a land policy instrument that can consider spatial developments in a coherent and comprehensive approach, integrating various sectoral policy domains. Water management, soil quality, environmental values, protected nature reserves, agricultural developments, infrastructure, cultural heritage and rural development can all be considered – or at least their spatial component – in land consolidation projects. This FIG publication aims to provide an overview of relevant topics for land consolidation practice, including different forms of land consolidation, public participation, valuation, developing the land consolidation plan, GIS tools and monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes. It seeks to find a level of detail that provides insights for responsible agencies and professionals involved in land consolidation. Hopefully, this publication by Commission 8 will inspire and support government agencies, decision-makers and professionals to implement land consolidation projects and programmes in a sustainable, inclusive and participatory way. The expertise of the surveyor can guide the application to enhance an inclusive, just and fair reallocation process in various tenure systems and land administration traditions. As such, it complements existing publications about land consolidation such as the FAO’s recent legal guide on land consolidation.

More information

Full list of FIG publications: https://www.fig. net/resources/publications/figpub/index.asp