Decentralization of Natural Resources Management: Lessons from Southeast Asia: Case Studies Under REPSI

This report summarizes the findings of case studies on decentralization of natural resources management in five Southeast Asian countries—Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It assesses the type and extent of decentralization pursued in these countries and the outcomes that these reforms have produced for vulnerable human and ecological communities. Further, it sheds light on the issue of participation, exploring the status of access and equity in decentralized community-based natural resources management systems. Following these analyses, the authors provide a set of policy recommendations on how natural resources governance reforms should be designed to improve the livelihoods of resource-dependent people and their surrounding ecosystems, while supporting national and regional goals for sustainable development.