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Announcing the release of the CLGE Paris Declaration
CLGE is delighted to release the Paris Declaration on the ‘Role of Geodetic Surveyors in Disaster Management‘, following the IX CLGE Conference of the European Surveyor, held in Paris on 9 November 2023.
Each year CLGE chooses a theme of the year, which in recent times, has been aligned to the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our theme for 2023 is the ‘Year of The Geodetic Surveyor and Disaster Management’.
The Conference brought together speakers and expert panellists with first-hand experience of a variety of recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, forest – and building fires as well as surveying activities during times of war and reconstruction. It was a fantastic opportunity to focus in detail on the role and contribution of the geodetic surveyor, working together as part of the wider geospatial ecosystem, to the disaster management domain and to hear different perspectives from a range of public, private and academic bodies.
The Conference was delivered in cooperation of our colleagues from the French Ordre des Géomètres-Experts. We were joined by around 750 participants, 90% online, from across Europe and francophone countries around the world, courtesy of the Fédération des géomètres francophones (FGF) network. Some CLGE members played an active role in the conference by organising and monitoring the online participation, e.g. HKOIG from Croatia, ISZ from Slovenia, UBGE asbl.
The day started with a session from our French colleagues who presented on the situation in our host country and was followed by three international sessions with presentations structured around the disaster management cycle of preparedness, response, and recovery. The presentations were, in turn, followed by and interactive expert panel discussion. The presentations are accessible here on our website.
The Conference culminated with the presentation of the draft text of the Paris Declaration which explicitly acknowledges; the rapidly evolving range of threats that we all face, that we are now experiencing a ‘permacrisis’ and the need for us to work together across disciplines. It also recognises that what our profession can offer is not always widely understood and we all need to do more ‘show the way’. The Declaration mentions commitments around education, promotion, skills, innovation, influencing and partnerships. The Paris Declaration was refined and adopted by the CLGE General Assembly and signed on 11 November 2023. The year 2023 is coming to a close soon but the mission goes on. CLGE will continue to work with its Members and partners, such as FIG and the Forum of Regional Bodies, to help put the commitment of the Paris Declaration into practice across our profession.
CLGE Conference Director Mr Duncan Moss said ‘Global uncertainty, increasing levels of conflict between nations and the on-going climate crisis have all made clear how essential geodetic surveying is in helping to support disaster management at tactical, operational and strategic levels both nationally and internationally. We implore all surveyors to embrace the Paris Declaration and to put its commitments into practice. As the Conference showed, our profession can make a real difference. So, let’s act together and show the way!’
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