Conference Themes

Land Tenure Transitions: Climatisation or Communitisation

The theme of the 8th edition of ILDC is "Land Tenure Transitions: Climatisation or Communitisation." This theme emphasizes the growing influence of global climate actions on land and nature, particularly in the majority world. It examines how this expanding ecosystem—driven by finance, science, and a multitude of new actors—interacts with and influences local lands, communities, their well-being, and tenure.

This year, the conference will focus on the evolving relationships between land and people through the lenses of community stewardship and climate resilience. Discussions will center on the changing dynamics of land use and administrative innovations, examining how these changes influence local communities' roles in managing, preserving, and caring for their land.

Sub-Themes

1. Land Administration and Innovations

Land data inadequacies and information asymmetry have long plagued effective land governance, resulting in outcomes that are often exclusionary, unjust, and conflict-prone. Despite significant strides in land reforms and technological advancements in India's land administration since the 1990s, a fragmented integration of these innovations has led to exacerbated land disputes, obstructed access to public entitlements and financial resources, and disproportionately affected marginalized communities and women. In the present era, addressing climate change alongside promoting community inclusiveness in land governance has become imperative.

It is becoming increasingly important for land administration to make land access, transactions and services address the conflicting demands of climate action, economic growth, gender equity and social justice. As per Land Gap Report, 2023, approximately 1 billion ha (hectares) of land is required to meet the climate mitigation pledges[1]. This ambitious climatization and urbanisation of land pose significant challenges, especially for the 30 per cent of India's rural households that are landless, as reported by the Socio-Economic Caste Census (2011). Innovations in land administrations are critical not only to increase efficiency and accuracy but also to make it just and equitable. The proposed theme on innovations in land administration for climate resilience and community inclusiveness aims to explore and answer some of the relevant sub-themes
Data and information gaps in land administration.
Impact assessment & Monitoring & Evaluation of schemes such as DILRMP, SVAMITVA, OLRSD, FRA etc
Administration of public and common lands
Thinking and approaches around Climate-resilient land administration
Use and role of data and technology in meeting land administration transitions

[1] https://landgap.org/downloads/2023/Land-Gap-Report_2023-Briefing_FINAL.pdf

2. Climate Action and Tenure Transitions

Land holds immense value for communities, encompassing ecosystems crucial for environmental, climate, ecological, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic interactions. These communities, esp. Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLC), have been caring, nurturing and perpetuating land and forests, while accessing, using and harvesting ecosystem products and services, for their livelihoods, culture and wellbeing. This is evident from the fact that 80 percent of global biodiversity and over one-third of global intact forests lie within Indigenous territories. A recent study concluded that 17% (293,061 million tonnes) of the total carbon stored in more than half of the forests (in 64 countries) around the world is managed by local communities. This is a conservative estimate based on available data. Hence, it can be said that Indigenous and local communities are the “closest and most ably positioned to manage earth’s carbon-rich lands” . However, the stewardship role of communities for their land and natural resources has often been undermined in most climate action initiatives.

Since the Paris Agreement of 2015, investments in climate action have surged, with countries adopting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and ambitious emission-reduction targets. COP26 in Glasgow further accelerated these efforts, with Fortune 500 companies pledging net-zero emissions, boosting investments in market-based mechanisms, such as the carbon markets. In responding to the call for climate action, state and market are resorting to financial incentives, commoditised and reductionist top-bottom, externally designed solutions, which are applied uniformly over diverse contexts and complex people-land-nature relationships. Not only are solutions often ill adapted to the local contexts, but the quantum of funding itself is scarce. Only 2% of REDD+ funds (a major fund that can be accessed by developing countries to finance forest-based mitigation initiatives) has been directed towards indigenous and local community lands. Between 2011 and 2020, projects supporting tenure and forest management of indigenous and local communities received less than 1% of the official development assistance for climate change mitigation and adaptation over the same period.”

Ensuring that climate finance reaches Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in an inclusive, democratic, and just manner is crucial for supporting both effective climate action and the rights and livelihoods of IPLCs’.

This sub-theme invites submissions that explore the intersection of climate action and land tenure, focusing on how equitable and inclusive land tenure systems can facilitate effective climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. The theme will explore and aim to answer some of the relevant questions and challenges relating to IPLCs’ role in climate action and climate finance

Beyond FPIC: Designing inclusive, equitable and just climate finance mechanisms
Equitable climate finance for IPLCs
IPLCs' role in climate action and biodiversity conservation
NbS projects' impacts on IPLCs
Policies supporting just transitions in climate action
Addressing "carbon colonialism" and securing land rights in climate projects

3. Land use and land tenure linkages

Land tenure-linked land use planning integrates land tenure systems, rights, and governance structures into the management of land resources, acknowledging the profound influence these factors have on land utilization and development. Climate change exacerbates challenges by altering land use patterns and increasing the vulnerabilities of marginalized and tenure-disadvantaged communities. In marginal and disaster-prone habitats, the impact is particularly severe on the poorest and tenure-disadvantaged, whose rights remain less or not recorded or acknowledged by the state, viz on government or public lands and their allocation for renewable energy treating them as waste/barren.

Land-excluded and marginalized communities not only have high vulnerabilities to disasters, aggravated by accompanying diseases, loss of livelihoods and crop failures, but also bear additional risk of becoming climate refugees. This is especially critical in areas inhabited by Indigenous Peoples, who, despite comprising less than 5% of the global population, protect 80% of the Earth's biodiversity through their traditional knowledge and sustainable practices. However, their efforts are often underacknowledged and unsupported, leading to their forced evictions, displacement without compensation, environmental degradation, and cultural extinction. Recognition of their stewardship in land tenure and land use planning is crucial for biodiversity conservation, food security, and environmental sustainability. This sub-theme explores the integration of land tenure administration into sustainable land use planning to address these challenges and promote equitable management of land resources. The theme will explore and aim to answer some of the relevant and pressing questions, within the domain of land administration

Sustainable and equitable management of land resources linked to land tenure
Indigenous knowledge & stewardship in conservation and environmental protection
Food systems, agro-ecological transformation and agri-value chains vis-à-vis tenants, women farmers and agriculture labourers
Impact of climate change on communities in rural and urban spaces with informal tenure
Frameworks and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in land tenure and land use planning

4. Land, Housing, and Market Interfaces

Market forces are crucial in the housing sector, where supply and demand interactions determine housing prices and affordability. Many urban areas face challenges due to imbalances, leading to high prices and vacant housing stocks. Economic factors such as income levels, employment rates, and interest rates also influence housing affordability, with economic growth boosting demand and prices, and downturns stabilizing or reducing them. Integrating housing, land use, market dynamics, and sustainability is essential for creating livable cities. Assessing housing policies in contrast to sustainability goals can achieve economic, environmental, and social equity.

Land use policies directly affect housing markets by dictating land availability for real estate development. Strict regulations and zoning laws can limit land, increasing prices and reducing affordability. Conversely, flexible policies allowing higher density and mixed-use developments can stabilize the market. Cities with restrictive policies often struggle with housing shortages and high prices, underscoring the need for adaptive land-use strategies. The new developments are incentivized by capturing the land value using tools like - creating special economic zones, tax increment financing, or even joint development models. The other end of capturing value is the de-incentivizing tools like vacant land tax.

Effective urban planning, fair land governance and management policies integrate housing with infrastructure, amenities, and services, and simultaneously address spatial and social inequalities. The informal housing market also presents unique challenges and opportunities, requiring careful consideration in planning processes, especially in the global south. However, short-term market dynamics often conflict with long-term sustainability goals, necessitating a shift in mindset towards integrated and inclusive planning approaches. Many theoretical frameworks find gaps in the parallels of Planning policy, polity, and regulatory environment accommodating real estate growth and equitable accessibility to lands which shall be commons.

This sub-theme invites submissions focused on the intricate relationship between housing, land, and market forces that significantly impact the livability and functionality of urban areas. Some key areas that this segment can delve deeper into are:

● Stakeholder interdependencies: developers and consumers, government and citizens, and policymakers and data.

● Impact of planning, and land governance and management on housing availability and accessibility

● Market responsiveness for sustainable housing developments and affordability.

● Land fungibility in Informal housing redevelopment

● Property valuation and Land Value Capture in contrast to infrastructure development and housing affordability

5. Partnership for Inclusion and Impact

Land governance is complex with contestation from diverse expectations of multiple uses, over contexts of overlapping and bundle of tenures, and quite often involves interactions among multiple actors – across disciplines, geographies and sectors. Given its complexity, enormity and criticality for development, growth and justice, crafting innovations, developing solutions and delivering services, remains a challenge for any particular set of institutions or actors.

However, land has largely been the domain of the state and the government continues to exclusively dominate land administration , at least in India. Unlike other such governance domains, viz education, health or agriculture, even for that matter water or forests, where, private sector and civil society including NGOs and research institutions play important roles, land reform, investments and innovations, largely is governed by the state.

While partnerships among Sarkar, Samaj and Bazaar are increasingly becoming the norm and multi-actor platforms are being advocated as triggers for system change and scaling innovation at speed and sustainably, such arrangements are easier said than done. While experiences and examples across other domains have started emerging to draw lessons from, such institutional innovations are low to no in land governance domains, making this subject far more challenging.

This sub-theme calls for conversations around this nascent domain of land governance drawing upon pilots in India and elsewhere even in at early stages including cases of failures and successes. While the focus would be on partnerships, ideally from initiatives with collaboration among Govt, Civil Society and Private Sectors, the areas could be across land administration viz. capacity building, piloting, technology innovation etc.

6. Intersection of Land Relations & Technology

The intersection of land and data uses technology to make land management smarter and more inclusive. By integrating different types of information, like environmental data and community land rights, we can make better decisions that consider everyone’s needs. This not only helps in planning sustainably and transparently but also opens up new opportunities, especially for marginalized communities. It gives them access to important information, empowers them to take part in land discussions, and supports fair development. This approach ensures that even the most disadvantaged can benefit, protecting their rights and promoting balanced growth.

Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing land tenure and land planning in India by improving transparency, accuracy, and accessibility. The Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) digitizes land records, reducing disputes and making information easily accessible. Blockchain technology, piloted in Andhra Pradesh, offers secure, tamper-proof land registries, ensuring transparent transactions. Geospatial technologies, utilized by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), aid in accurate land use planning and disaster management. Additionally, AI and machine learning have the potential to optimize resource allocation and predict land use patterns under schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), supporting informed decision-making and sustainable development.

Some of the sub topics we plan to discuss as a part of this sub theme are –

How can blockchain technology create secure, tamper-proof land registries, and what are its implications for transparent land transactions, particularly in rural areas? Blockchain technology, as demonstrated in pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh, offers a way to create immutable land registries. This technology can significantly reduce fraud, ensure transparent property transfers, and make land transactions more accessible. The discussion will explore the potential benefits and challenges of implementing blockchain in land administration and its impact on rural communities.
How can geospatial technologies from institutions like the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) support sustainable land use planning, and what are their implications for urban planning, disaster management, and agricultural optimization? Geospatial technologies provide detailed data on land use patterns and environmental impact, crucial for sustainable land use planning. This technology aids policymakers in balancing development and conservation efforts, supporting urban planning, disaster management, and agricultural optimization. The discussion will focus on the benefits, applications, and challenges of integrating geospatial data into land management practices.
Digitized land records and geospatial data enable Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and community groups to access credit and investment more easily. Platforms like PMFBY can leverage this data for crop insurance assessments, while digital records help secure loans by using land as collateral, reducing lender risk and supporting community growth.
How can AI and machine learning be utilized to predict land use changes, optimize resource allocation, and detect illegal activities, and what are the potential benefits for programs like PMFBY? AI and machine learning technologies have the capability to analyze large datasets, providing predictive analytics for land use changes and optimizing resource allocation. These technologies can also help detect illegal land activities. In programs like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), AI can enhance risk assessment and decision-making processes, offering timely support to farmers. The discussion will cover the applications, benefits, and challenges of implementing AI and machine learning in land management.
How can open data platforms promote transparency and community participation in land administration, and what are their implications for reducing corruption? Open data platforms, like the Karnataka Bhoomi Project, provide public access to digital land records, promoting transparency and community involvement. This reduces corruption, facilitates informed decision-making, and supports fair land administration practices. The discussion will explore the benefits and challenges of implementing open data initiatives in land governance.