Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom today said countries like India, China and the US should address the issue of climate change at grassroot level by encouraging participation of local people.
There are no ideal solutions to problems like climate change. The locals and communities must be made aware of the ways to manage ecosystems and usage of renewable resources to lessen the burden on environment, Ostrom said at a Foundation for Ecological Security function here.
Ostrom, aged 77 years, shared the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences with Oliver E Williamson in 2009.
She was the first lady to receive this award and specialise in creation of common pool resources (CPRs) like forests and rivers which could be managed and supervised by the society together.
Asked about how to maintain a balance between development and displacement, she said: "Villagers need to attain a position where they can bargain and fight for their land rights."
"They need to strengthened their voices. Villagers must know the asset value of their land and negotiate than taking Rs 5,000 for a piece of land," Ostrom said.
Working on a paper in Delhi like Forest Rights Act is of no use for the tribes living in Jharkhand, until and unless the initiatives are taken at local level, followed by regional, national and global.
This Act provides restitution of deprived forest rights to millions of tribal and other forest dwellers in different parts of the country.
