The signficance of geospatial information and the role of surveyors in meeting the challenges of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
Paringit, Enrico
Spatial information plays a vital role in meeting the development goals of a country particularly in the areas of resource management, environmental monitoring and infrastructure development. However, the archipelagic nation of Philippines faces greater and more complex development challenges in the face of continuing struggle with ever-frequenting natural hazard events and the subtle ravages of climate change. Development processes therefore must incorporate risk reduction and adaptation strategies from disasters and climate change respectively. Possessing the ability to understand hazards and climate change phenomena can be achieved through better information especially those which are geospatial in character. The proposition put forward in this paper is that (1) the services and products by surveyors or geodetic engineers are critical in formulating the appropriate plans and actions to mitigate and reduce risks from disasters and climate change and that (2) in order to achieve a level of success in reducing risks from natural disasters and adapting to climate change, plans, programs and projects must take into consideration the geospatial aspects of safety, security and sustainability. Surveyors or geodetic engineers as main providers of spatially referenced data must assume a more aggressive role in meeting the geospatial data requirements of disaster risk reduction and climate change. A formidable challenge tin assuming this role is to bridge the knowledge gap between mere acquisition of spatial data to its downstream application among the students and practitioners of the surveying profession. Geodetic engineers must take a more proactive stance by reaching out to their counterparts in resource, environment and infrastructure application fields to identify and understand the required viss- vis appropriate spatial information for mitigating disasters and adapting to climate change.
Only personal, non-commercial use of this document is allowed.