The Tragedy of the Commons

Santa Barbara, CA

1969_The Tragedy of the CommonsEcologist Garret Hardin publishes The Tragedy of the Commons, an economic theory used to explain natural resource depletion and environmental degradation. He explains that individuals, working out of self-interest, exploit and degrade our shared resources (the commons). Hardin’s theory operates on two principles: 1) the world and its resource are finite and 2) individuals seek to maximize personal gain as if resources were infinite. He argues global environmental crises can be curtailed by taking action through transboundary governance or privatization.

World Population : 170,060,000

Avg. number of children per womanFertility Rate (1950 - 2050)6.0 and higher4.0 - 5.92.0 - 3.90 - 1.9No DataMetric tons of CO2 Emissions (millions)Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions (1751 - 2017)1,401 and higher1,201 - 1,4001,001 - 1,200801 - 1,000601 - 800401 - 600201 - 4001 - 2000No DataPercent of total population in urban areasUrbanization (1950 - 2050)70 - 100%30 - 69%0 - 29%No DataAvg. number of years of lifeLife Expectancy (1950 - 2050)80 and higher60 - 7940 - 59Under 40No DataHuman altered lands by typeHuman Land Use (1700 - 2015)Dense SettlementsVillagesRangelandsSeminatural LandsWildlandsCroplands
Key:   1,000,000 People    1,000,000 People (Annotated)     Milestone
ANIMATE MAP & TIMELINE  
1 CE100200300400500600700800900100011001200130014001500160017001800190020002100

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