Land Administration Systems for Sustainable Development

The project aims to develop an overall framework for understanding the role of the cadastre in facilitating an efficient land market as well as an effective land-use administration. The evolution of these systems is described as a respond to the dynamic relation between humankind and land. The concept for Land Administration Systems is analysed and applications and comparison within different cultures are presented, including some recent developments in the use of multi-purpose cadastres as support for land-use management. It is re- cognised that it is difficult if not impossible to conceive this multi-purpose role without fully understanding the cultural and judicial context of which the land administration system is an integral part and which it serves. The issue of establishing appropriate institutional and organisational infrastructures is crucial for achieving sustainability in any society. Sound decision making, however, depends on establishing a suitable balance between national policy making and local decision-making. The project therefore also deals with the issue of decentralisation and the impact of central versus local government in efficient land-use management planning in support of sustainable development. The project is supported by the World Bank. (Stig Enemark)