Conference and Seminar Proceedings

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Workshop

Responding to Climate Change and Security of Tenure in Small Island Developing States: The Role of Land Professionals

30 April - 1 May 2016 at Rydges Latimer, Christchurch, New Zealand

Download Concept note (.pdf format)

Day 1 – Saturday 30 April 2016: Key land governance challenges in the context of climate change
8.00 – 9.00	Registration
9.00 – 10.45	Session 1 Welcome address by Diane Dumashi, FIG Welcome address by NZIS Welcome address by FIG Foundation [handouts] Introduction and workshop program - The context and specific vulnerabilities of SIDS: The importance of land governance (David Mitchell, RMIT University) [handouts] Challenges and lessons for land governance in SIDS (Faatasi Maloga, PSGC) [paper] [handouts] Pacific Urban Forum – challenges and lessons for land governance (Luke Kiddle) [paper] [handouts] The Voluntary Guidelines on the responsible governance of tenure and SIDS (Paul Munro-Faure, FAO) [handouts] Discussant summary
10.45 – 11.15	Morning Tea
11.15  – 12.45	Technical Session 1 – Regional and country perspectives Chair:  Bill Robertson    Paserio Samisoni (Fiji): SIDS workshop - Land Governance and Climate change in Fiji (8474) [abstract] [paper] [handouts] Martin Sokomanu (Vanuatu): The Effects of Climate Change , Vulnerabiity and Natural Disasters on the National Geodetic Network [abstract] [papers] [handouts] Williams Ganileo (Vanuatu): Responding to Climate Change and Security of Tenure Challenges in Vanuatu: The Role of Land Professionals [abstract] [paper] [handouts] Viliami Folau (Tonga) [abstract] [paper] [handouts] Discussion Discussant summary Each presenter to respond to Questions 1 to 6 on the Concept Note.
13.00 – 13.45	Lunch
13.45  – 15.15	Technical Session 2 – Regional and country perspectives Mr Hubert Kalauni (Nuie) [handouts] Mr Petania Tuala (Samoa) [handouts] Mr Faatasi Maloga (Tuvalu) Challenges and lessons for improved land governance in Small Island Developing States [paper] [handouts] Discussion Discussant summary
15.15 – 15.45	Afternoon tea
15.45 – 17.30	Workshop 1 Key challenges for CCA and Land Governance in SIDS. Break out groups (Questions 1-3): Key vulnerabilities and challenges for SIDS countries in contributing to their countries resilience to natural disasters – and what are the roles of land sector agencies and land professionals in this regard? What are the key vulnerabilities and challenges for SIDS countries in relation to rapid urbanisation and how can this be addressed by the land sector agencies and land professionals? What are the constraints in improving land governance and administration in SIDS countries? Each group to report back.
Evening - Welcome Reception - 17.30-18.30

Day 2 – Sunday 1 May 2016: Potential land governance responses and land tools
9.00 – 10.30	Technical Session 3 – Regional and country perspectives Chair:  Don Grant, RMIT University Discussant: Luke Kiddle, New Zealand  Summary of Day 1 Charisse Griffiths-Charles (Trinidad and Tobago) Latin American and Caribbean report for Habitat III – lessons for land governance [paper] [handouts] Azzan Rashid (Zanzibar) The Effects Of Climate Change On Land Tenure In Zanzibar Islands [paper] [handouts] Bernardo Almeida (Timor-Leste) Land Administration in Timor-Leste: Where to go From Here? [handouts] Dalila Gharbaoui Land governance in climate-induced relocation; and what role for land professionals [handouts] Questions to presenters and discussion Discussant summary
10.30 – 11.00	Morning Tea
11.00  – 12.30	Technical Session 4: VGGTs for SIDS Welcoming remarks, introduction of the Speaker and Panel Members, summary of key vulnerabilities and challenges of SIDS (5 minutes) David Mitchell, Moderator, RMIT University. Presentation:  Implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure in Small Island Developing States   by Mr Paul Munro-Faure, FAO [handouts] Panel Discussion: facilitated by Don Grant, RMIT First Round of Discussants:   Overview / comments to the presentation Second Round of Discussants:   Focus questions to spark discussions and debates What are the priority land governance issues that the VGGTs can help address? What are the next steps in implementing the VGGTs at country level? What capacity building is required to implement the VGGTs at country level? What professional and organisational collaboration is required to implement the VGGTs at country level? What is the role of youth in implementing the VGGTs at country level? What is the role of academic and training institutions in implementing the VGGTs at country level? Questions and comments from the audience Discussion summary Closing remarks by David Mitchell, RMIT
12.30 – 13.15	Lunch
13.15  – 15.00	Technical Session 4: Land tools and secure land rights for all Welcoming remarks, introduction of the Speaker and Panel Members Kate Fairlie, Chair, Land Equity International. John Gitau, Discussant, GLTN. Cyprian Selebalo, GLTN (Kenya) GLTN Land Tools and their application to SIDS  [abstract] [paper] [handouts] Charisse Griffith-Charles (Trinidad And Tobago): STDM Piloting in St Lucia and St Vincent (8458) [abstract] [paper] [handouts] Panel Discussion: facilitated by Cyprian Selebalo, GLTN Focus questions to spark discussions and debates What are the priority land tools for addressing key land governance challenges and priorities in SIDS? What land tools are needed to improve security of tenure in hazard-prone areas? What land tools are needed to improve security of tenure in rapidly urbanising areas? What land tools are needed to improve land use planning in rapidly urbanising areas? How can fit-for-purpose land administration principles be applied in SIDS? What land tools are needed to improve the valuation of land across all tenure types? Questions and comments from the audience Discussant summary Closing remarks by  Kate Fairlie, Land Equity International
15.00 – 15.30	Afternoon tea
15.30 – 18.00	Workshop 2 - Responsible Land governance and administration Break out groups (Questions 4-6): How can these land governance and administration constraints be addressed by the land sector agencies and land professionals – including applying the Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Governance of Tenure and a Fit-For-Purpose Approach to building sustainable Land Administration Systems? What capacity building is required for the land professionals to fulfil this role and how this this capacity building best implemented  What professional and organisational collaboration is needed by associations such as FIG, the Pacific Geospatial and Surveying Council (PGSC), the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI), New Zealand Institution of Surveyors (NZIS), and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in helping land professionals in SIDS countries respond to the vulnerabilities and in fulfilling their roles?  Each group to report back.
Day3 – Wednesday 4 May 2016: Towards the Declaration
	Workshop 3 – Finalise Declaration Welcoming remarks and Introduction of the Speaker and Panel Members (David Mitchell)  Presentation:  Draft Declaration (Assoc Prof David Mitchell) [handouts] Questions and comments from the audience    Closing remarks by David Mitchell

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Background

A key outcome of the Third international Conference in Small Island Developing States in Apia, Samoa (1-4 September, 2014) was the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action (the ‘Samoa Pathway’). The Samoa Pathway reaffirmed commitments made under key UN conferences1 and, as well as those programmes of action specific to SIDS2. The Samoa Pathway also reaffirmed that SIDS are a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities, and are constrained in meeting their goals by economic, capacity and geographical challenges. The Samoa Pathway also recognizes that sea-level rise and other adverse impacts of climate change continue to pose a significant threat to SIDS and their efforts to achieve sustainable development, and “for many, represent the gravest of threats to their survival and viability, including,for some, through the loss of territory”. The adverse impacts of climate change compounds existing challenges for SIDS and places additional burden on national budgets in their efforts to achieve sustainable development goals. International cooperation (including from the UN system) and genuine and durable partnerships were seen as critical to the implementation of sustainable development in SIDS.

The third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) will be convened in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016, to focus on the implementation of a “New Urban Agenda”. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) agreed to launch a process to establish universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that will be an integral part of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The Sixth Asia Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-6) will take place from 19-21 October 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia, back-to-back with the High-level Regional Preparatory Meeting to Habitat III for Asia Pacific on 22-23 October. Both meetings provide a key opportunity to articulate and shape the new Asia and Pacific urban policy agenda against the backdrop of the new Sustainable Development Goals.

In response to the challenges facing SIDS in achieving sustainable development goals, and the imperatives for international support outlined in the Samoa Pathway, the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) – with support from international multi-lateral partners - have organised several regional forums on the role of land professionals in supporting SIDS. In 2010 a 2-day SIDS Seminar was held over five sessions at the FIG Congress in Sydney 2010. The seminar was organised under the broad themes of “Building Professional Capacity”, “Climate change and natural disasters”, “Good Governance in Land Tenure and Administration” and “Access to Land, Coastal and Marine Resources”. Around 60 persons participated in the seminar as well as many interested observers from the Congress. Of the invited people, 33 were funded by FAO, the Commonwealth Foundation, AusAID and NZAID. The major outcome of this seminar was FIG Publication 53 “Sydney Agenda for Action: Small Island Developing States and the Millennium Development Goals: Building the Capacity”. The Sydney Agenda for action emphasised the importance of good land governance especially in relation to climate change and natural disaster, access to land and resources, secure tenure and land administration. The Agenda for Action provided guidance on vehicles for developing capacity, roles and responsibilities for land professionals, and institutional responsibility for driving the agenda. The Pacific Island Land Professionals Association (through the President Dr Mele Rakai) was actively involved in the organisation of the workshop and the development of the Sydney Agenda for Action.

In September 2013 a follow-up symposium jointly organised by FIG, FAO, GLTN, UN-HABITAT and UN-GGIM-AP3was held in Suva, Fiji that aimed to build upon the discussions in Sydney in 2010. The title of two-day FIG Pacific Small Island Developing States Symposium was ‘Policies and Practices for Responsible Governance’ and the themes included “improved governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests”, “Geospatial information management” and “Secure land and property rights for all”. Cross-cutting themes included capacity development, professional development and climate change. This symposium was attended by 72 participants from 21 countries (including from nine Small Island Developing States). FAO sponsored 9 International participants, 6 presenters and 3 participants from 8 different SIDS. While, 6 local Fiji participants were also sponsored. There were also several participants who had also participated at the 2010 seminar in Sydney. The aim was to share knowledge, promote understanding and enhance cooperation and the outcome of this symposium was the FIG “Suva Statement on Spatially Responsible Governance”.

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