Exam 2 Flashcards
Why is water difficult to frame as a resource?
difficult to control or enclose, unlike land or wildlife
how is water managed?
common property resource, public good, or private commodity, depending
give an example of water that is managed as a public good
flood control infrastructure
give an example of water that is managed as a private good
bottled water
give an example of water that is managed as a common property good
traditional irrigation systems
what is the tragedy of the commons?
where individuals with access to a public resource—also called a common—act in their own interest and, in doing so, ultimately deplete the resource.
what are two proposed solutions of the tragedy of the commons?
Government regulation.
Privatization.
what are two critiques of tragedy of the commons
Oversimplifies communal management.
Reflects Hardin’s controversial ideological beliefs.
what is Elinor Ostrom’s Counterargument to tragedy of the commons?
Real-world examples show communities effectively managing common property without government or privatization.
define neoliberalism
extends market principles to manage resources and results in hybrid property arrangements combining state and private ownership
define property rights
bundles of rights and responsibilities.
types of property rights
state/ public, private, common, open access
define state/ public property
Owned and regulated by governments (e.g., Colorado River).
define private property
Owned by individuals/entities with exclusive rights
define common property
Managed collectively (e.g., fisheries, bandwidth).
define open access
No ownership, leading to rivalry and potential depletion.
define access to resources
the ability to benefit from resources.
what is access to resources influenced by?
economic, political, institutional, and ecological factors
types of scarcity
physical and economic
in terms of water, what is physical scarcity
not enough water to meet demands, exacerbated by pollution and inadequate treatment
in terms of water, what is economic scaricity
water exists, but is inaccessible due to financial or institutional barriers
what is the global water crisis
over 70% of wetlands lost in the last century, uncertainty due to climate change increases the frequency of droughts and floods
what are some of the case studies we looked at about water privatization
o Bolivia: Privatization coexists with state control.
o Arizona: Cultural norms and lack of regulation exacerbate private water extraction.
o Colorado River: The state owns water but grants use rights, not permanent ownership
define market environmentalism
Environmental problems managed through free-market principles
two core ideas of market environmnetalism
o Economic incentives guide resource management.
o Market-based approaches are efficient alternatives to regulation
examples of market environmentalism
o Carbon taxes.
o Cap-and-trade systems.
o Payments for ecosystem services
