In a few decades, the majority of the people will live in urban areas. Already now, most of the world’s megacities are located in the coastal zone and many of these are situated in large deltas. It is there, where land and large water bodies meet, that sustainable development is under high pressure.
The host country for FIG Working Week 2020 the Netherlands has a long history of dealing with the challenges of building and managing a densely populated coastal country, with a land area of which nearly half is below sea level. The Dutch have an extensive experience in this field.
Surveyors have played a crucial role in land and water management. Their role is even more crucial today when we have to protect our countries from the effects of sea- level rise, floods and droughts and other natural disasters caused by climate change. Protection of nature and natural resources demands our attention and asks us to act now. This requires smart surveyors and integrated approaches for sustainable land and water management.
The FIG Working Week 2020 in Amsterdam is addressing the following overall theme:
This theme is both relevant for the Netherlands and internationally in a world where drinking water is a scarce resource, waste water needs to be recycled rather than seen as waste, where the sea needs to be better mapped and managed, where land resources need to be protected against sea-level rise, and where land-based fresh water habitats are threatened.
The overall theme, Smart Surveyors for Land and Water Management, is built up by the following sub-themes:
Rapid urban growth, smart energy, cleaner mobility, and ‘land rights for all’ are some of the challenges demanding innovative surveying approaches and technologies. Sensing technologies, spatial data processing technologies and related approaches are already available. Use and improve them to become future proof, Smart Surveyors!
Without integrated land and water management, the Netherlands as also other coastal countries cannot sustain its agricultural and urban development. Climate change, though, increases the risks of sea and riverine floods and extended drought periods and complicates this management task. Unorthodox measures are called for. Get familiar with these measures and discuss them from your critical surveyor perspective.
The countdown begins, only one decade to go to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all and surveying professionals have a key role to play. How did we, as surveyors, contribute to ending poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests? In addition, what will be our role for the coming 10 years?
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