Chapter 5 Multiple Choice Questions

. Which of the following characterizes Garrett Hardin's 'tragedy of the commons'?

No shepherd can afford to reseed the pasture, in which case the grass is never replenished.

Even if each shepherd agreed to limit the number of sheep they graze, they can't know how many sheep are too many, thereby over-exploiting the pasture.

It is in each shepherd's interest to graze as many sheep as possible before the grass has become completely grazed, thereby over-exploiting the pasture.

The shepherds are unable to agree on a set of rules that determine who is responsible for reseeding the pasture and how many sheep are allowed.

. A common good is defined by meeting which two criteria?

Access must be restricted and the consumption of the good must be rival.

Access must be unrestricted and the consumption of the good must be rival.

Access must be unrestricted and the consumption of the good must not be rival.

Access must be restricted and the consumption of the good must not be rival.

. Which of the following is NOT a type of solution to the 'tragedy of the commons'?

Establishing property rights and a market to trade those rights.

A central authority creates regulations on access and use.

Resource use or destruction is taxed to make users incur the cost of environmental damage.

Removing regulatory restraints on economic growth.

. How does Elinor Ostrom critique the solutions that Hardin proposes to 'tragedy of the commons'?

These solutions require values and worldviews that are common in developed countries, and any attempt to implement these solutions elsewhere will fail.

These solutions can't be implemented without an overarching world government, which doesn't currently exist.

Existing local norms often govern resource access, and the imposition of exogenous rules may lead to changes in behaviour that accelerate resource consumption.

The solutions cannot be justified because they hinder individual liberties and because they can unnecessarily restrain economic growth, thereby hurting the collective.

. Why has the principle of the common heritage of humankind been successful in creating stringent environmental regulations in the case of Antarctica?

Countries thought they would have to band together to counter the threat penguins pose to human activity on the continent.

The continent has no resources so no countries were interested in claiming Antarctica.

No country wanted to be solely responsible for clearing away ice so that ships could dock on Antarctica's ice shelf.

The resources on the continent have historically been too difficult or expensive to extract on a large scale.

. How do the policy implications of the common heritage of humankind principle and the principle of sovereignty over natural resources differ?

The common heritage of humankind principle provides the basis for international cooperation, whereas the principle of sovereignty over natural resources provides the basis for forms of regulation on the state level.

The common heritage of humankind principle provides the basis for forms of regulation on the state level, whereas the principle of sovereignty over natural resources provides the basis for international cooperation.

The common heritage of humankind principle provides the basis for nationalization of a resource, whereas the principle of sovereignty over natural resources provides the basis for privatization of a resource.

The common heritage of humankind principle provides the basis for taxes and subsidies, whereas the principle of sovereignty over natural resources provides the basis for the use of sanctions.

. Why has the creation of exclusive economic zones failed to prevent overexploitation of fisheries?

It is impossible for fishing ships to always be aware of where they are fishing.

All coastal states lack the capacity to enforce fishing quotas in their exclusive economic zones.

Coastal states must determine and utilize their allowable catch limits within their exclusive economic zone. If they don't fully utilize the allowable catch, they must give other states access to the surplus.

The creation of exclusive economic zones does not actually enlarge the area over which a state has jurisdiction.

. How did the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity signify a break with the previous way genetic resources were governed?

By extending national sovereignty over genetic resources, the Convention on Biological Diversity diverged from adherence to the common heritage of humankind principle.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was the first international agreement on genetic resources.

While genetic resources were previously governed on the basis of national sovereignty, the Convention on Biological Diversity maintains that genetic resources are the common heritage of humankind.

Previous to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the use of genetic resources was banned, but the Convention allowed for these resources to be used.

. How could the principle of national sovereignty hinder environmental protection?

The principle requires that all humans benefit from environmental protection, but not all humans are obligated to incur the costs of protection.

It provides a justification for powerful states to exert influence over developing countries, thereby disrupting existing social norms that govern the relationship between society and nature.

Because it prevents companies from accessing natural resources, it doesn't provide an incentive for environmental protection.

It allows a state to reject international efforts to protect domestic environmental resources (e.g. biodiversity) because states have a right to determine their own policies and level of protection within their territories.

. A state that acquires technology that allows it to protect its domestic environment without relying on the assistance of others has increased which of the following dimensions of sovereignty?

Control

Legitimacy

Strength

Autonomy

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