Resource information
The authors started the discussion with the fundamental question: why are property rights important? The central hypothesis of this collaborative venture is that inappropriate property rights institutions lead to resource degradation. Two cases were distinguished: single-user resources and multiple-use resources. A good example of a single-user resource is land. Absence of secure property rights will result in land degradation, as incentives to improve the resource base do not exist under such conditions. Multiple-user resources are typically common property (i.e., rangeland, ground water, forest). Problems arise when the group that shares use of the common property resource is unable to regulate the use of the resources among themselves and exclude outsiders. Empirical research is needed to quantify the extent of resource degradation due to property rights problems. Research questions that are relevant for each of the cases are listed.
