IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 3.2D Tragedy of the Commons Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 3.2D Tragedy of the Commons Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

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The Tragedy of the Commons: Why Shared Resources Get Destroyed

Definition

Tragedy of the Commons

The tragedy of the commons is a concept that describes the overexploitation of shared resources due to the tension between individual self-interest and the collective good of sustainable management.

The tragedy of the commons describes how a shared, open-access resource gets overused and destroyed when everyone can take from it but no one owns it.
The idea was named by Garrett Hardin (1968), using the image of a shared pasture, the commons, grazed by many herders.
1. Each herder adds more animals to gain more for themselves, and the shared grass collapses for everyone.

Why It Happens: The Benefit Is Private, the Cost Is Shared

The resource is open-access: it is used by everyone but owned by no one, so no one can keep others out.
Each user gains the full benefit of taking a bit more, such as one extra cow, fish, or tonne of emissions.
The cost of that extra use is shared among all users, so each person barely feels it.
Because the sums point that way for every user, taking more is individually rational but collectively ruinous.
1. Everyone races to grab their share before the resource runs out, which speeds up the collapse.

Common Mistake

A commons is not the same as public or government property.
It means a shared, unmanaged resource with no enforced ownership or limits.

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Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

The Tragedy of the Commons: Why Shared Resources Get Destroyed

Definition

Tragedy of the Commons

The tragedy of the commons is a concept that describes the overexploitation of shared resources due to the tension between individual self-interest and the collective good of sustainable management.

The tragedy of the commons describes how a shared, open-access resource gets overused and destroyed when everyone can take from it but no one owns it.
The idea was named by Garrett Hardin (1968), using the image of a shared pasture, the commons, grazed by many herders.
1. Each herder adds more animals to gain more for themselves, and the shared grass collapses for everyone.

Why It Happens: The Benefit Is Private, the Cost Is Shared

The resource is open-access: it is used by everyone but owned by no one, so no one can keep others out.
Each user gains the full benefit of taking a bit more, such as one extra cow, fish, or tonne of emissions.
The cost of that extra use is shared among all users, so each person barely feels it.
Because the sums point that way for every user, taking more is individually rational but collectively ruinous.
1. Everyone races to grab their share before the resource runs out, which speeds up the collapse.

Common Mistake

A commons is not the same as public or government property.
It means a shared, unmanaged resource with no enforced ownership or limits.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

IB Environmental systems and societies 3.2D Tragedy of the Commons Notes

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

The Tragedy of the Commons: Why Shared Resources Get Destroyed

Why It Happens: The Benefit Is Private, the Cost Is Shared

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

The Tragedy of the Commons: Why Shared Resources Get Destroyed

Why It Happens: The Benefit Is Private, the Cost Is Shared

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account