The Tragedy of the Commons (College Board AP® Environmental Science) : Study Guide
The tragedy of the commons
The tragedy of the commons describes the overuse and depletion of a shared resource
It occurs when individuals act in their own self-interest (being anthropocentric) rather than considering the common good
It leads to the degradation of the resource, making it unavailable for future use
How does the tragedy of the commons occur?
Shared access: A resource is freely available to all individuals in a community
Individual self-interest: People use as much of the resource as possible to maximize personal gain
Overuse and depletion: Excessive use reduces the availability of the resource for others
Long-term consequences: The resource becomes degraded or completely exhausted, harming everyone
Implications for sustainability
Overexploitation:
Humans are using many natural resources faster than they can be replenished
This is resulting in resource depletion and could eventually lead to the collapse of certain ecosystems
Impact on biodiversity:
Result in the loss of habitats and species
It can also lead to reduced genetic diversity
These factors can weaken ecosystem resilience, threatening biodiversity
Case Study
Overfishing of fish stocks on the Grand Banks, Canada
Location:
Grand Banks, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada
Natural resource affected:
Cod fish
Problem:
Intensive fishing by local and international fleets
Advanced fishing technologies and no effective regulation
Consequences:
Dramatic decline in cod populations
Economic collapse of the fishing industry in the region
Long-term ecological damage
Current situation:
Strict regulations and moratoriums on cod fishing
Slow recovery of cod stocks but these are still a long way below historical levels
The tragedy of the commons does not only apply to situations where a natural resource is overharvested
It also applies to the contamination and degradation of ecosystems by humans
Case Study
Plastic pollution in ocean gyres
Location:
Various ocean gyres, including the North Pacific Gyre, home to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Natural resource affected:
Marine environment and marine biodiversity
Problem:
Accumulation of plastic debris from land-based and marine sources
Plastics are non-biodegradable and persist for hundreds of years
Consequences:
Marine animals ingest plastics, leading to injury and death
Plastics break down into microplastics, entering the food chain
Damage to marine ecosystems and decline in marine biodiversity
Current situation:
Efforts to reduce plastic use and increase recycling
International agreements and clean-up initiatives
Solutions to prevent the tragedy of the commons
Regulations and policies:
Governments can impose quotas or restrictions on resource use (e.g., fishing limits, carbon taxes)
Privatization of resources:
Assigning ownership can encourage responsible resource management (e.g., private land conservation)
Community management:
Local communities can self-regulate shared resources through collective agreements
Economic incentives:
Programs like cap-and-trade for carbon emissions provide financial incentives to limit overuse
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