An Evaluation of the Solutions used to Address The Tragedy of the Commons in the Darién Gap
Solution
|
Advantages
|
Disadvantages |
Collective self-governance The tribes can come together and attempt to govern the land which they consider to be their homeland. They can work together to stop illegal activity
|
- Working together can provide a common purpose and build a community
- The tribes understand the land best and know how and where to best restrict the activities of the illegal loggers
- This activity can provide employment within the tribes
- The resources can be protected and sued in a sustainable way
|
- The illegal loggers are violent and armed with automatic weapons so violence is almost a certainty
- The tribes have fewer resources (weapons, machinery, money) than the illegal loggers so struggle to limit their activity
- Attempts to slow down extraction may actually increase the pace of extraction as the illegal loggers are feeling more pressure to get the job done
|
Appeal to the government for legal ownership rights of tribal land
So far, about 40% of the land has been granted to the tribes
|
- The owners are legally entitled to defend their land
- Legal rights of property ownership can be enforced by law
- Illegal logging is now theft and the tribes have hired lawyers to prosecute individuals and firms involved
- Some illegal loggers have been imprisoned
|
- Corruption remains high. The profits from illegal logging are so high that firms and individuals involved easily pay bribes to officials who are meant to represent the legal process
- The illegal loggers ignore the land owners and violent clashes continue to occur
|
International Agreements
A global solution, enforceable by law helps to reduce illegal behaviour
|
- Global agreements to protect indigenous flora and fauna exist
- In 2018 Interpol seized 200 m3 of wood headed for Hong Kong which were violating these agreements
|
- Loggers up their game and avoid detection
- Not all countries follow the law and in this case, China actively ignore it so as to get their hands on this resource
- Only really effective when all countries sign up for it and when the law enforcement agencies in each country are active and free from corruption
|