The Role of Property Rights in Natural Resource Management, Good Governance, and the Empowerment of the Rural Poor

Publication

This paper provides an overview of critical property rights concepts for non-property rights specialists involved in design and implementation of natural resource programs. It defines property rights in the context of land and natural resources, provides an overview of critical concepts in property rights, explores five important challenges to achieving the best fit between property rights systems and environmental or development objectives, and summarizes key principles in land and property rights reforms with implications for natural resource management, governance and livelihood security in rural areas.