P. van der Molen

Rapid urbanisation and slum upgrading: What can land surveyors do?

This paper aims at understanding the domain of rapid urbanisation and slum upgrading. Therefore it collects facts in order to clarify the status quo. The paper highlights relevant aspects, such as development of new forms of spatial planning, modern slum upgrading methods, provision of security to flexible people–land relationships, linking informality and formality and enhancing land and property tax revenue to facilitate urban services. It appears that for all aspects, a role for the land surveying profession can be formulated. This role requires mastering the newest geospatial and non-spatial technologies, and the capability to design and maintain cost-effective land information systems, which can deliver relevant services to urban residents and city managers.Abstract This paper aims at understanding the domain of rapid urbanisation and slum upgrading. Therefore it collects facts in order to clarify the status quo. The paper highlights relevant aspects, such as development of new forms of spatial planning, modern slum upgrading methods, provision of security to flexible people–land relationships, linking informality and formality and enhancing land and property tax revenue to facilitate urban services. It appears that for all aspects, a role for the land surveying profession can be formulated. This role requires mastering the newest geospatial and non-spatial technologies, and the capability to design and maintain cost-effective land information systems, which can deliver relevant services to urban residents and city managers.

Climate change, land use and land surveyors

Research reveals that the land sector is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. But the land sector has also potential to reduce emissions. Different from other emission sectors like energy and transport, the land sector (in particular the rural area including forests) has the potential to also remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere through sequestration and storage. This requires land use, land use change and forestry to be managed with respect to climate change goals. Carbon storage has the potential to generate carbon credits, which according to the Kyoto Protocol are exchangeable in a market environment. But is the market secure enough? This paper aims primary at presenting the subject matter as a synthesis of extant literature. Secondary, the paper shows interfaces with the land surveyors profession namely land management and land administration.

Conflict and post-conflict land administration : the case of Kosovo

Land and its administration are always negatively affected during conflicts and in post-conflict periods. If land and its administration are neglected or not properly addressed after the end of a conflict, they can be a cause for a renewed armed conflict and an obstacle in the rebuilding of a post-conflict society. This paper aims at identifying interventions in land administration that occur in conflicts and post-conflict contexts and relate them to the characteristics of post-conflict societies. A case study is conducted in Kosovo, where with the support of the international community developments in the land administration sector were evident. A strong relation is recognised between interventions in land administration and the characteristics of post-conflict societies. In this regard, it is revealed that strengthening the institutions in the land sector, which obviously occurred in the case of Kosovo, had a positive impact on the institutional weaknesses of a post-conflict society. In addition, interventions in housing and property rights and land administration are identified as elements that contributed to solving the prevailing social and economic problems. Addressing specific land issues in the peace agreement document and the availability of a land dispute resolution mechanism supported settling disputes over land and reduced conflict tensions; these interventions supported the overall security situation. This paper concludes that interventions in land administration indeed facilitated the rebuilding of post-conflict Kosovo.

Property, human rights law and land surveyors

Land surveyors have a lot to do with property rights. This paper presents an inventory of international human rights law regarding property rights, relevant for land surveyors. It addresses the history and current status of international law and case law, and it reflects on the aspects that shape the human right to property as a controversial human right. The paper includes a consideration on related rights, such as the human right to housing and to food. The paper concludes that human rights form an important context for the land surveyors profession and ends with describing interfaces between the human rights to property and the profession.Land surveyors have a lot to do with property rights. This paper presents an inventory of international human rights law regarding property rights, relevant for land surveyors. It addresses the history and current status of international law and case law, and it reflects on the aspects that shape the human right to property as a controversial human right. The paper includes a consideration on related rights, such as the human right to housing and to food. The paper concludes that human rights form an important context for the land surveyors profession and ends with describing interfaces between the human rights to property and the profession.

Informal economies, state finances and surveyors

All countries host informal economies, sometimes even exceeding the size of the formal economy. Living in the informal economy means for citizens that they and their activities are invisible for the government. Governments miss information about which people live in their country and what economically happens. They miss relevant data to develop policies, to monitor implementation and to levy taxes for generating budget. This hampers good governance and state building. This paper analyses the problem, and argues that when surveyors would expand their capacity for administration of land to other recordable subjects and objects, they can contribute to a solution.All countries host informal economies, sometimes even exceeding the size of the formal economy. Living in the informal economy means for citizens that they and their activities are invisible for the government. Governments miss information about which people live in their country and what economically happens. They miss relevant data to develop policies, to monitor implementation and to levy taxes for generating budget. This hampers good governance and state building. This paper analyses the problem, and argues that when surveyors would expand their capacity for administration of land to other recordable subjects and objects, they can contribute to a solution.

Food security, land use and land surveyors

One of the measures to provide food security for the 9.5 billion people who are estimated to live on earth in 2050 is growth of agricultural production and productivity. Yield analyses reveal that all continents have potential for growth, in particular Africa. Land expansion is still possible, and land management and land administration should contribute to efficient land use and security of tenure. Much agricultural land is not well managed and unrecorded, obstructing realising the potential for growth. As land surveyors are responsible for these issues, at least in a multi-disciplinary environment, they can contribute substantially. However, further expertise on agriculturally focussed land management, knowledge of multiform land and water rights, innovative recording methods and geospatial technologies must be acquired.One of the measures to provide food security for the 9.5 billion people who are estimated to live on earth in 2050 is growth of agricultural production and productivity. Yield analyses reveal that all continents have potential for growth, in particular Africa. Land expansion is still possible, and land management and land administration should contribute to efficient land use and security of tenure. Much agricultural land is not well managed and unrecorded, obstructing realising the potential for growth. As land surveyors are responsible for these issues, at least in a multi-disciplinary environment, they can contribute substantially. However, further expertise on agriculturally focussed land management, knowledge of multiform land and water rights, innovative recording methods and geospatial technologies must be acquired.

Land privatization in urban Mongolia: an observation

Abstract The land privatization process in Mongolia mainly concerns residential land. The process is considered to perform slowly. The deadline for free allocation of residential land was extended from 2005 to 2013. Still, the number of families that have acquired private landownership during that period is low. This paper aims to take a closer look at the operational process in Ulaanbaatar. The paper finds that, when citizens apply, in a majority of cases the legal deadline to be granted a land-ownership right is actually met. An observation is that this apparent ‘successful’ process management is made possible by a limitation of input of applications. In conclusion, the current land privatization process in Mongolia features a lack of information about privatization areas, lack of citizen involvement in the choice of areas to be privatized and a de facto influx regulation leading to frustration. The paper concludes with policy advice for improvement.