Tragedy of the CommonsGovernance Challenges in Responding to Global Climate Change

Peter WilshusenEnvironmental Studies ProgramBucknell University

David Horsey. Seattle Post Intelligencer. January 30, 2009.

If the world is one great commons, in which all food is shared equally, then we are lost. Those who breed faster will replace the rest. Sharing the food from national territories is operationally equivalent to sharing territory; in both cases a commons is established, and tragedy is the ultimate result.

Population, area and economy affected by a 1 m sea level rise (global and regional estimates, based on today's situation)

Dietz, Ostrom, and Stern. 2003. “The Struggle to Govern the Commons.” Science 302:1907-1912.

Pretty. 2003. “Social Capital and the Collective Management of Resources.” Science 302:1912-1914.

Multi-lateralsNation states

NGOs

CBOs

TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS

Governance Challenges

• Cooperation across scales: local, sub-regional, national, regional, global

• Structures of authority: where does ultimate decision-making power reside?

• Definition of responsibilities

• Distribution of costs and benefits

• Monitoring and Enforcement

• Adaptation and Response

TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS

The 2 Ton Elephant…

Some food for thought:

• The more dire our energy/climate challenges become the less our open democratic governance systems will be able to adapt and respond.

Thanks!Peter WilshusenEnvironmental Studies ProgramBucknell University