CGP The Global Commons

• The Global Commons


  Parts of the world that do not belong to any one country or organization, and should be available for everyone to use
• Examples of the Global Commons

  • The high seas (more than 200 miles from land)
  • Antarctica
  • Outer space
• The Global Commons

  • They belong to everybody
  • They are governed by different pieces of international law
• The global commons are under pressure from

  • Exploitation (e.g. overfishing, resource extraction)
  • Industrialization and development (e.g. pollution, waste)
  • New technology making them more accessible
• The 'tragedy of the commons' refers to the idea that people will exploit the global commons without considering the consequences, since the costs are shared by everybody
• NGOs want to protect the global commons from exploitation, as they offer unique habitats and have a positive impact on environmental systems
• Sustainable development of the global commons requires global cooperation between countries