ISK Conference in Eldoret Focuses on Surveyors’ Role in Mitigating Climate Change

Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County – The Institution Of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has emphasized the critical role of surveyors in combating climate change. Speaking at the 8th ISK Africa Regional Conference in Eldoret, ISK President Eric Nyadimo highlighted the urgent need for surveying professionals to understand and address the impacts of climate change on their practice. The conference, held in Uasin Gishu, brought together land and built professionals from five African countries to discuss climate change issues and their effects on the surveying profession.

According to Kenya News Agency, the conference aimed to provide a platform for professionals from government, private sector, and academia to network and deliberate on key challenges posed by climate change. Surveyors, he noted, are pivotal in executing Environmental Impact Assessments, mapping and monitoring land features, and assisting in land use planning. These activities are crucial for identifying areas at risk of environmental damage and developing strategies to protect critical ecosystems.

The conference also saw discussions on the role of surveyors in resource management. By providing essential data for assessing and managing natural resources, surveyors enable environmental scientists to make informed land use and conservation decisions. Furthermore, surveying plays a significant role in planning infrastructure projects, ensuring minimal environmental impact and assisting in ecological consequence assessment.

Nyadimo pointed out the substantial impact of climate change on real estate, affecting valuations and investor interests. He urged real-estate stakeholders to incorporate climate change risks into asset and portfolio valuations and to build analytical capabilities to understand both direct and indirect risks associated with climate change.

The ISK president also emphasized the importance of green buildings in reducing environmental impacts, advocating for the use of renewable energy sources, eco-friendly materials, and reduced emissions. He called on all stakeholders, from policymakers to industry leaders and citizens, to engage actively in climate change mitigation.

The conference addressed various thematic areas, including carbon credit, climate change mainstreaming in land governance, valuation, ecosystems, smart cities, geospatial technologies for climate monitoring, affordable housing, natural resources management, digital transformation in the land sector, technological developments in geomatics, climate-resilient real estate developments, and action for Africa on climate change in land and built environment.

The Institution of Surveyors of Kenya represents professionals in eight major disciplines of the surveying profession. These include Land Surveying, Valuation, Building Surveying, Land Administration Management, Engineering Surveying, Geospatial Information Management, Estate Agents, and Property Management. The conference underscored ISK’s commitment to fostering a sustainable future through the surveying profession.