Question

Tragedy of the commons occurs when a good that is rival in consumption but non-excludable becomes depleted. One example is when pastures become devoid of grass because of overgrazing. The other answer choices here are examples of negative externalities but are not examples of the tragedy of the commons." Which situation describes the tragedy of the commons?

a) Industrial pollution in a river affecting nearby fisheries
b) Noise pollution from a factory disturbing nearby residents
c) Air pollution from vehicles in a city causing health issues
d) Overgrazing of common pastures shared by herders in pastoral communities

Answer 1

The tragedy of the commons is best exemplified by the overgrazing of common pastures in pastoral communities. This scenario, unlike the others which represent negative externalities, revolves around the depletion of a shared resource that no single user has the incentive to protect or conserve. The correct option is D.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation that describes the tragedy of the commons is (d) Overgrazing of common pastures shared by herders in pastoral communities. The other scenarios listed are examples of negative externalities, where an individual or business’s action causes unintended but harmful effects on others, but they do not qualify as tragedy of the commons scenarios because they don't involve the depletion of a shared resource that is rival in consumption and non-excludable.

The tragedy of the commons is an economic principle indicating that resources held in common will inevitably be over-exploited. This is evident in global challenges such as global climate change, where the atmosphere is treated as a commons into which countries are dumping greenhouse gases without bearing the full cost of the impacts. The results are shared negative long-term effects on the environment and public health.