Sweden's largest daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter is discussing the ownership of natural resources, and refers to EfD Research Associate Ping Qin's research, which shows that secure right of usage is more important than ownership to China's forest farmers.
>> Link to the article in Dagens Nyheter, Sweden, 2009-07-29: "Can the air really be owned privately by someone? Is it good for the environment if there is a specific owner - or is it better for the earth's survival if natural resources are owned by all together? The American Indians believed that no one has the right to air, water and soil. What can really be owned? "
The article also tells about a doctoral thesis by the economist and EfD Research associate Ping Qin. Her thesis was presented earlier this year at the University of Gothenburg. Read the press release:>> Link to press release on the thesis from Environmental Economics Unit, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, 2009-02-12:
Secure right of usage more important than ownership to China's forest farmers What do poor forest farmers want from China's ongoing forest land reform? Well, it is not private ownership of the land that makes them invest. What Chinese farmers value most and what attracts them to investments that can raise their standard of living and contribute to sustainable forestry is secure rights of usage, as shown by Ping Qin's doctoral thesis in economics at the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
In Swedish: Citat på svenska ur artiklen i Dagens Nyheter som tar upp Ping Qins forskning:"Hur viktigt är det då att äga något privat? I Kina pågår en refom där bönder själva ska ta hand om skogen i större utsträckning i stället för som i dag tillsammans. Tidigare i år presenterade nationalekonomen Pin Qin en doktorsavhandling vid universitetet i Göteborg. Den bygger på vad bönder i en av Kinas fattigaste provinser anser om privatiseringarna. För dem betyder rätten att bruka skogen mest – att personligen få äga skogen är inte lika viktigt. Tanken att privat markägande leder till ett bättre utnyttjande av naturresurser har fått ökat stöd i Kina. Men många kritiker hävdar också att privatiseringar inte gynnar skogsbönderna. Enligt dem är det bättre om bönderna tilldelas ”brukarrätter” där de får en bit skog att sköta om på bästa sätt – men att skogen ägs gemensamt."