FIG 22nd General Assembly   31 May and 4 June 1999   Sun City, South Africa   Minutes

Appendix to item 31: Reports from task forces
Task force on Sustainable Development

The FIG Bureau decided in 1997 to form a task force to prepare a FIG policy and statement on how the organisation will implement the concept of sustainable development, as it is formulated in the report – Agenda 21 - from the 1992 UN conference on environment and development in Rio.

In addition to Agenda 21, the statement should as well reflect the outcome of the UN Habitat II conference in Istanbul in 1996 (the Habitat Agenda with its Global Plan of Action) and their follow-ups, the memorandum of understanding FIG and UNCHS (Habitat), and the existing FIG statement from 1991 on sustainable development.

A final draft of the statement shall be ready for the FIG working week 2000, to be finally adopted at the FIG working week 2001.

It is anticipated that the work mainly will be undertaken by correspondence and using email. The final result should be a publication of 10-15 pages for each language (if translated).

The task force was constituted with the following members:

- Markku Villikka, Finland (chairperson)
- Karin Haldrup, Denmark (Com.3)
- Dennis St. Jacques, Canada (Com. 4)
- Paul van der Molen, Netherlands (Com. 7)
- Helmut Brackmann, Germany (Com. 8)
- Mike Yovino Young, USA (Com. 9)
- Peter Byrne, Australia
- Ian Williamson, Australia
- Jerry Ives, USA

In addition a network was established for people who showed their interest during the task force meetings at the FIG Congress in Brighton.

When Markku Villikka later was appointed to Director of the FIG permanent office, Helge Onsrud, Norway, was asked to substitute him as task force leader, taking up the position late 1998.

At a meeting between FIG and CIB in London in April 1999, CIB was invited to nominate two corresponding members to the task force.

When taking over as leader of the task force, my intention was to prepare a first complete draft for presentation and discussion at the FIG working week in Sun City. Due to other pressing matters, I have however not been able to accomplish this. My revised plan is to circulate a draft to the task force members during the autumn of this year, to have a well prepared document on the table for the FIG working week in Prague in May 2000, so that the final document can be adopted in 2001 as originally planned.

A draft outline of the statement is attached to this report, for circulation and commenting during the FIG working week in RSA. I regret very much not being able to attend the working week myself. Comments may be given to Markku Villikka on the spot, or mailed to me in Norway at helge.onsrud@statkart.no .

Helge Onsrud (Norway)
Chairperson of the task force

20 May 1999

Dealing with land management, land use planning and geographic information for decision making, the surveying profession is deeply involved in matters of vital importance for sustainable development of the Earth.

FIG recognises the necessity of implementing policies and concrete actions on global as well as on local level to support sustainable development, and further that not only governments, but organisations and individuals as well, are challenged to respond to the policies and guidelines formulated in Agenda 21 and the Habitat II Global Plan of Action.

Representing surveyors on international level, FIG is committed to implement the concept of sustainable development as a cornerstone for its activities, and further that it’s national member associations and individual surveyors shall join the commitment; thinking globally, acting locally.

Explaining the content of sustainable development as a fundamental guideline for policies and actions on global, regional and local level; what is really sustainable development about.

Outlining the major issues calling for sustainable solutions, with focus on issues of particular interest to the surveying profession (facts and figures):

• Population growth

• Fast growing cities in developing countries

• City structures producing transportation and pollution (urban-rural linkages, etc.)

• Migration to coastal areas

• Loss of areas for food production

• Loss of rainforest and other areas supporting bio-diversity

• etc

Concluding that land management and land use planning are vital issues for sustainable development

Concluding that information on the status of the environment and of the environmental changes is a foundation for developing good policies for sustainable development, and that geographic information plays a major role in this respect. To the latter explain the role of modern technology (GIS, remote sensing, etc)

Explaining the role of surveyor and the surveying profession in land management, land use planning and geographic information.

Outline of the chapters and statements of the two reports of particular relevance to the surveying profession, which primarily are issues relevant to land management, land use planning and geographic information: (referring to the policies formulated in the relevant chapters in the two reports, and copying some basic statements)

From Agenda 21:

• Chapter 3: Combating poverty

• Chapter 7: Promoting sustainable human settlements development

• Chapter 10: Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources

• Chapter 11: Combating deforestation

• Chapter 13: Managing fragile ecosystems, sustainable mountain development

• Chapter 14: Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development

• Chapter 27: Strengthening the role of non governmental organisations

• Chapter 40: Information for decision-making

From the Habitat II Global Plan of Action

• Chapter B: Adequate shelter for all

• Chapter C: Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world

• Chapter E: International co-operation and co-ordination

A.     FIG as an International Non Governmental Organisation with a global mandate:

• Formally adopt the concept of sustainable development as a foundation for all its relevant activities, and the subsequent code of ethics for individual surveyors and for the surveying profession, as outlined below (to be adopted along with the statement at the FIG working week 2001)

• Raising awareness among the surveying community through including relevant themes in congresses, seminars and other meetings, as well as in publications, etc.

• Assist relevant UN bodies in implementing sustainable development, inter alia through continuing and improving its relations with the UNCHS, FAO, and ….

• Inform international organisations about the professional contribution to sustainable development offered by surveyors

• Encourage its member associations to adopt and implement corresponding policies, guidelines and standards on national level.

• Implement the FIG Award for outstanding contributions by individuals, companies or associations within the FIG family towards sustainable development, to be issued every four year at the FIG Congress

• etc

B.    FIG member associations

• Should reformulate and adopt corresponding policies, guidelines and standards relevant to sustainable development, as mentioned under A, for implementation on national level

• Should promote that surveying companies adopt internal rules, standards and code of ethics for projects and works relevant to the environment and to sustainable development, and maintain and publish a list of companies having adopted such standards

• Awarding, on a regular basis, individual surveyors and companies having contributed in an outstanding way towards protecting the environment and fostering sustainable development

C.    FIG code of sustainable developments ethics for individual surveyors and surveying companies and public agencies (some possible examples below)

• Individual surveyors as well as staff of surveying companies and public agencies within the profession, being associated to FIG through a national member organisation, are obliged to seek appropriate knowledge of the concept of sustainable development and its relevance to their activities on local, regional or global level.

• They are furthermore obliged to seek appropriate knowledge of international and national conventions, legislation and guidelines relevant to sustainable development and the project they are involved in.

• They are furthermore, regardless their position in the organisation, obliged to promote that the environmental impact of works undertaken by their respective organisations are evaluated and properly documented

• Surveyors in leading positions are obliged to initiate the undertaking of professional environmental impact assessments where and when it is relevant to a project, and to refuse projects which are in conflict with sustainable development regardless the opinion of the client

• Surveyors in leading positions are obliged to ensure that subordinate staff are given appropriate training relevant to sustainable development

• Surveying companies should adopt internal code of ethics expressing their commitment to the concept of sustainable development.

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