Research project Who owns nature?

The political discussions, none the least, during the last years have made evident that there can be a contrast between the ownership rights – the right to use what one owns – and the protection of nature. At the same time, both the ownership rights and the protection of nature both are given importance.

The project aims primarily at analyse how balancing of interests and proportionality judgements are made when nature’s present values are to be protected. Is there a systematic approach? Is it possible to find a better system that rewards both protection of the most protection worthy nature and induces to consider the ownership rights? Can the balancing of interests and the ownership rights even contribute to a more uncomplicated and more systematic protection of nature?