Hydrography Work Plan (2019-2022) and Commission Activities of FIG Commission 4

Hydrography Work Plan (2019-2022) and Commission Activities of FIG Commission 4

The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Commission 4, chaired by Dr. Malavige Don Eranda Kanchana, is primarily focused on hydrography. This includes hydrographic surveying, standards like the S-100 and S-57 frameworks, and integration with e-navigation and Marine Spatial Data Infrastructures (MSDI).

The Role of FIG Commission 4

Commission 4's role is to develop and update international standards of competence for hydrographic surveyors. It provides support to the International Hydrographic Organisation through the work of its Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee (HSSC). The commission's activities are aimed at enhancing safety of navigation, maritime security, and economic development through hydrographic services and standards.

However, direct activities targeting plastic pollution or UN SDG 14 (Life Below Water) are not explicitly noted in available 2025 work programmes or FIG profiles. The commission's work supports sustainable ocean management indirectly by improving marine spatial data infrastructure and navigational safety frameworks.

Working Groups within Commission 4

Commission 4 has four Working Groups: WG 4.1 - Standards and Guidelines for Hydrography, WG 4.2 - Blue Growth & UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, WG 4.3 - Mapping the Plastic, and WG 4.4 - Marine Development and Administration.

WG 4.3, a joint initiative of FIG Young Surveyors Network and FIG Commission 4, focuses on accurately determining the amount and type of plastic litter in the waterway.

Current Members and Leadership

Current FIG representatives in the IBSC are Gordon Johnston, Adam Greenland, Sobri Syawie, and Harald Sternberg. For the term 2019-2022, the Chairperson of FIG Commission 4 - Hydrography is Mohd Razali Mahmud and the Vice-Chair is Gordon Johnston.

Harald Sternberg joined IBSC this year, replacing Keith McGowan Miller who steps down after an impressive 8 years on the Board. Both Gordon Johnston and Adam Greenland were the past chairman of IBSC.

Collaborations and Events

FIG and IHO cooperate under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Commission 4 offers ongoing support to the IHO on a number of initiatives. The first event of KL GeoHydro 2019 was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for two days from 18-19 November 2019.

The FIG Working Week 2021 will be held in Utrecht, Netherlands from 21-25 June 2021.

FIG's Global Reach

FIG was founded in 1878 and has member associations, cadastral and mapping agencies, ministries, universities, and corporations from over 120 countries. The organisation is a United Nations and World Bank recognized non-government organisation.

The technical work of FIG is led by ten Commissions, each with its own responsibilities and work plans approved by the General Assembly during the FIG Congress. Working Group 4.2 aims to support the initiatives of UN SDG 14 by providing a systematic survey coverage of the oceans and addressing the threats to our oceans.

[1]: Reference for further information [3]: Another reference for further information

1. The work of FIG Commission 4's Working Group 4.2, which focuses on Blue Growth and UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, aligns with the mission of addressing climate-change and environmental-science concerns, as they aim to provide a systematic survey coverage of the oceans and address the threats to our oceans.
2. Commission 4's hydrographic surveying activities are not only limited to safety of navigation, maritime security, and economic development, but also indirectly contribute to the management of climate change by improving data-and-cloud-computing systems and technology in the field of environmental-science.
3. The role of science and technology becomes increasingly important when considering the activities of FIG Commission 4's Working Group 4.3, a joint initiative focused on determining the amount and type of plastic litter in waterways, as this requires advanced hydrographic survey techniques and scientific analysis.

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