DECENTRALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROPERTY RIGHTS

The document advocates for the legal recognition of community-based property rights (CBPRs) in the Global South, arguing that such rights are distinct from Western individual property concepts and state-led decentralization. It posits that recognizing CBPRs—particularly for indigenous peoples—helps protect ancestral territories, prevents resource commodification, and fosters environmental justice. However, the text notes that property rights alone are insufficient for sustainable development and must be paired with technical assistance, credit programs, and strong procedural rights.

• Community-based property rights (CBPRs) differ from Western property concepts, which rely on state-protected private individual rights or socialist state ownership. While some fear the term 'property rights' encourages commodification, the document argues that CBPRs are less prone to this because they are group-held and require collective decision-making for any sale.
• Decentralization to local government units is distinct from the recognition of CBPRs and does not automatically support them; in some cases, local officials may use decentralization to maintain legal control of resources to fund government costs.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). DECENTRALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROPERTY RIGHTS. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cbpr.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. DECENTRALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROPERTY RIGHTS. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cbpr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=DECENTRALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROPERTY RIGHTS |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cbpr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawnddecentralization, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{DECENTRALIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROPERTY RIGHTS}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cbpr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }