About
James is the Director of RICS Land Group, which encompasses the environment, geomatics (land and hydrographic survey), minerals and waste management, rural, telecoms and planning and development areas of practice. This is a global and diverse grouping of over 26,000 members, with strong links to policy, economics and practice issues.
James is a chartered land surveyor and chartered geographer with over 25 years of experience in civil engineering, land issues and surveying. He has worked on some of the largest civil engineering projects in Europe and spent several years mapping Palestinian refugee camps in the Middle East while working for the United Nations. James has broad experience of surveying in many countries around the world, including Ireland, UK, Belgium, the Seychelles, Palestine, Philippines, Syria, and Egypt.
He sits on several editorial boards, is the author of numerous surveying and mapping journal articles, has presented professional and technical papers at global conferences (most recently FIG Rome 2012) and regularly lectures on professional practice. James is also the co-author of several industry standard professional guidance notes and specifications. He has also instigated the use of ‘global virtual e-communities’ within RICS revolutionising member interaction and collaboration.
Articles (3)
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Rural
News 
James Kavanagh MRICS, 08 Dec 2017
For discussion
It is your opportunity to comment on the draft International Land Measurement Standard (ILMS) that aims to bring security of tenure to millions.
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Planning & development
Comment James Kavanagh MRICS, 06 Nov 2017
For discussion
As climate change exerts even more of malignant influence on rural livelihoods in the developing world, it really is time to consider how many of these affected nations will deal with what are essentially ‘internally displaced’ climate refugees. What measures can be used to alleviate some of the pressures on land and rapidly growing but unplanned urban environments?
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Land use
Comment James Kavanagh MRICS, 19 Mar 2017
For discussion
There can be no denying that climate change is real. Perhaps for those of us lucky enough to live in geographies that have avoided some of its more devastating impacts it can seem abstract, but for those parts of the world least able to deal with the effects, the consequences have been disastrous.