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Global property rights and land use efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Junrong Ma

    (Tsinghua University
    Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China)

  • Li Tian

    (Tsinghua University
    Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China)

  • Yudi Zhang

    (Tsinghua University
    Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China)

  • Xin Yang

    (Tsinghua University
    Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China)

  • Yongfu Li

    (Shanghai University)

  • Ziang Liu

    (Tsinghua University
    Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China)

  • Lin Zhou

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Zixuan Wang

    (Shanghai University)

  • Wei Ouyang

    (Renmin University of China)

Abstract

The study investigates the global impact of land property rights on land use efficiency (LUE), as measured by the key indicator for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11.3.1, namely Land Consumption Rate to Population Growth Rate. By utilizing human-land change data from 165 countries spanning the period between 1990 and 2020, we have developed a fixed effects model and employed legal origins as an instrumental variable to examine the influence of land property rights security on LUE. Our findings demonstrate that the security of land property rights significantly influences LUE, with common law countries exhibiting higher levels of LUE compared to civil law countries while controlling for other variables. Stability in property rights encourages long-term investments in infrastructure and sustainable land management practices, thereby enhancing land productivity and mitigating urban sprawl. Furthermore, safeguarding property rights limits governments’ power to expropriate lands, facilitating rational and efficient land transactions that contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Junrong Ma & Li Tian & Yudi Zhang & Xin Yang & Yongfu Li & Ziang Liu & Lin Zhou & Zixuan Wang & Wei Ouyang, 2024. "Global property rights and land use efficiency," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-52859-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52859-5
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