Unit 3: Sustainability
and Stewardship
Chapter 1: C3.1, C3.2, C3.3
The Global Commons
▪ The global commons is the set of
natural resources, basic services,
public spaces, cultural traditions, and
other essentials of life and society
that are, or should be, part of a public
trust to be enjoyed by all people and
cherished for the planet’s well-being.
▪ The global commons is not owned by
any agency, they merely exist for our
benefit
▪ You cannot own culture, you cannot
own air and to an extent, you cannot
own water bodies
Common Pool Resources
▪ A resource that benefits a group of people, but
which provides diminished benefits to everyone if
each individual pursues his or her own self
interest.
▪ The value of a common-pool resource can be
reduced through overuse because the supply of
the resource is not unlimited, and using more
than can be replenished can result in scarcity.
▪ Overuse of a common pool resource
can lead to the tragedy of the
commons problem
▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
B0vmP7HoFI4
▪ Common-pool resources, such as forests,
fisheries, underground water basins and
irrigation systems are often managed by a
combination of governments and markets.
▪ This can be done by only allowing a certain
amount of the resource to be used over a
period of time, allowing for the resource to
remain intact.
▪ For example, a fishery can sustainably yield 100,000
pounds of fish annually, and the market price of a
pound of fish is $4. Ten companies agree to harvest
10,000 each.
▪ In the absence of regulation, each company would
harvest more than its allotted quota in order to sell
more fish at $4 a pound.
▪ If each company over harvests by 1,000 pounds the
fishery will over harvested by 10,000 pounds, and will
not be able to produce the same level next year
▪ What is the difference between the global
commons and common pool resources?
▪ What is the value of the atmosphere?
▪ What is the value of the Oceans?
▪ What determines how much of the resource
can be used by any person or group?
Human Impacts
▪ Split into 4 groups
▪ You will choose 1 of the following
topics to present to the class (one 1
group will be performing a topic so it
will be on first come first serve)
Human Impact: Presentations
▪ 1. How are fish affected by industrial and agricultural
activities in the area? (Rivers, ponds and Great Lakes)
▪ 2. How does the existence of internet contribute to
climate change and the acidification of the oceans?
▪ 3. How does space exploration affect the Global
Commons?
▪ 4. How do the different types of “waste” produced by a
country contribute to the pollution of the global
commons?
Outline
▪ Marks will be given for uniqueness, neatness,
quality, creativity and level of detail
–Must have a visual (can be powerpoint, video,
poster, etc) (15 marks)
–Must have a Handout of information for the class
to receive
–Clearly, accurately, professionally and effectively
teach your topic to the class. (20 marks)
–Communication (are you teaching or are you just
reading information?) (15 marks)
Issues and the Commons
▪ Review:
▪ What is the tragedy of the commons?
Issues and the Commons
▪ There is a growing concern in the world that happens
to deal with the use of resources that are “unownable”
▪ People see the opportunity to sell these resources and
make a profit
▪ Examples: Clear cutting of natural forests… How can
one “Own” the rights to nature? How can one group
determine the fate of wooded areas and natural
landscape?
▪ It is this desire and greed to make
money that we experience natural
habitat loss and corruption in
business and politics
▪ So the question then becomes this…
▪ How do we manage natural resources
like the atmosphere (air) and oceans
that no one really owns but is
accessible to all?
http://www.carbonify.com/a
rticles/kyoto-protocol.htm
▪ What is the Kyoto Protocol and what was it’s goal?
▪ When was it established and then enforced?
▪ How does it work?
▪ What is the difference between signing and ratifying the
protocol? Did Canada, the US and China Sign or ratify?
▪ Why was Australia and the US reluctant to join?
▪ Is Canada Australia and the US still supporting the Protocol?
Why or why not?
▪ Was the Kyoto Protocol a Success?
http://www.worldbank.org/en/topi
c/climatechange/brief/montrealprotocol
▪ What is the Montreal Protocol and what was
it’s goal?
▪ When was it established and then enforced?
▪ How does it work?
▪ Was the Montreal Protocol a Success?
http://www.globaloceancommission.org/
wpcontent/uploads/GOC_Summary_2015_AUG1.pdf
▪ What is UNCLO?
▪ Name and briefly state the 5 drivers
of ocean decline
▪ Name and briefly explain the 8
proposals for recovery of the oceans.
Role of governments on Common
pool resources
▪ Governmental organizations around the world are
the one’s who have the power to enforce change
and to promote safe keeping of the common pool
resources
▪ The use of fines, prison sentences and other forms
of punishments are the best methods to curbing
illegal use and destruction of some of the worlds
natural resources
▪ But it is not that easy…
▪ When oceans cover nearly 70% of the entire
surface of the earth, it is nearly impossible to
police every corner
▪ When valuable resources that put people to work
and boost your economy happen to lie beneath
and within the beautiful boreal forests, its not
easy to curb development
▪ With an ever expanding population in
the world and so many people needing
material goods, factories must produce
at an insanely high capacity
▪ Inherently, producing goods creates
wastes and pollution which have to go
somewhere… unfortunately its into the
soil of the earth and the air of the
atmosphere we breathe
▪ This is the problem that we are faced
with by living in a “phantom carrying
capacity”.
▪ We have extended the life of the
earth past what it can maintain and
we are artificially keeping the world
turning
So what do we do???
▪ There is the growing idea of “owning”
the commons
▪ Can this work?
▪ A possible solution to this issue is that
some feel it is in their best interest to
“own” the land
▪ By owning the commos within their
borders, they can control what
happens to the land, by whom, and
for what purposes
▪ This prevents random people and
corporations from unlawfully abusing
or recklessly hurting the land and
waterways
▪ For the most part, this could
potentially be successful
▪ But the concept is not perfect
▪ Governments, like all things, needs
money to operate
▪ One of the biggest income generators
for a country happens to be trade
▪ And what do we trade?
http://news.yahoo.com/native-tribefights-save-boreal-forest-quebec072042866.html
▪ Why was the girl crying?
▪ Fighting to protect their land, how much of the surrounding
areas have been clear cutted?
▪ Why was the signed agreement not doing much to save the
land?
▪ Finish this statement: “the land is not ours to sell…”
▪ What did they do with pulp and paper buyers to help
prevent them from investing?
▪ What is the broadback? Why do they want to save it? Who
wants to build on it and why?
8 Principles for Managing a
Commons
▪ 1. Define clear group boundaries.
▪ 2. Match rules governing use of common
goods to local needs and conditions.
▪ 3. Ensure that those affected by the rules can
participate in modifying the rules.
▪ 4. Make sure the rule-making rights of
community members are respected by
outside authorities.
▪ 5. Develop a system, carried out by community members, for
monitoring members’ behavior.
▪ 6. Use graduated sanctions for rule violators.
▪ 7. Provide accessible, low-cost means for dispute resolution.
▪ 8. Build responsibility for governing the common resource in
nested tiers from the lowest level up to the entire
interconnected system.
Privatized Water
Lets look at an example of privatized
water…
http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz
/VANOVEDR/
▪ Vandana Shiva wrote:
–“Water is a commons. . . It cannot be
owned as private property and sold as a
commodity.” How can one justify claiming
water as their own through contractual
agreement while letting another human
being go thirsty? Water is a commons
because it is the basis of all life.”
▪ “Water must be free for sustenance needs.
Since nature gives water to us free of cost,
buying and selling it for profit violates our
inherent right to nature's gift and denies the
poor of their human rights.” When private
companies try to make large profits through
high water prices, it denies the poor the
inalienable right to the most necessary
substance for life”
▪ As far fetched as water ownership
may seem, it is happening at an
increasing rate around the globe.
▪ Currently there is a rush to privatize water
services around the world. The World Bank
and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are
pushing for the privatization of water
services by European and U.S.-based
companies.
▪ They are pushing privatization through
stipulations in trade agreements and loan
conditions to developing countries.
▪ These privatization programs started
in the early 1990’s and have since
emerged in India, Bolivia, Chile,
Argentina, Nigeria, Mexico, Malaysia,
Australia, and the Philippines, to
name a few.
▪ Through this new globalization and
privatization of water resources, there is
an effort to replace collective ownership
of water sources with corporate control.
▪ Supporters of privatization say that it
has a great track record of success,
increasing the efficiency, quality,
reliability and affordability of services to
the population
▪ Water will no longer be wasted improperly
▪ People will be more conscious about how they
use their water creating a nationwide
conservation of the resource
▪ It will ensure access to all people from all
backgrounds
▪ The quality of the water will be increased as
privatized water companies will have incentive
to “sell their product”
▪ There are also claims that the water
will become cheaper as companies
will inherit most of their money from
investors and other outside agencies
with money and not straight from
cash strapped government budgets
▪ Yet the industry has a track record of hazards and
failures.
▪ For example, private companies most often violate
standards of operation, and engage in price fixing
without many consequences.
▪ This leads to water stress among the poor populations
of these areas, causing people to drink water that is
often very contaminated and hazardous to their health
(even though case studies have shown that privatized
water can be very contaminated as well).
Rising Prices and Deteriorating
Water Quality
▪ Australia - In 1998, the water in Sydney, was
contaminated with high levels of giardia and
cryptosporidium shortly after its water was overtaken
by Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux.
▪ Canada - At least seven people died as a result of E.
coli bacteria in Walkerton, Ontario, after water testing
had been privatized by A&L Labs. The company
treated the test results as "confidential intellectual
property" and did not make them public.
▪ Morocco - Consumers saw the price of water increase
threefold after the water service was privatized in Casablanca.
▪ Argentina - When a Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux subsidiary
purchased the state-run water company Obras Sanitarias de la
Nacion, water rates doubled but water quality deteriorated.
The company was forced to leave the country when residents
refused to pay their bills.
▪ Britain - Water and sewage bills increased 67 percent between
1989 and 1995. The rate at which people's services were
disconnected rose by 177 percent. .
▪ New Zealand - Citizens took to the streets
to protest the commercialization of water.
▪ South Africa - Water became inaccessible,
unaffordable, and unsafe after the water
supply was privatized by Suez Lyonnaise
des Eaux in Johannesburg. Cholera
infections became widespread and
thousands of people were disconnected
from their supply of water
▪ As is already evident, once these private water giants take
over water services, prices skyrocket.
▪ After privatization, customer fees in France increased 150
percent while the water quality declined. In a French
government report, it was revealed that over 5.2 million
people had received “bacterially unacceptable water”.
▪ In Subic Bay, a former U.S. naval base in the Philippines,
Biwater increased water rates by 400 percent.
▪ Water rates in England increased by 450 percent while
company profits soared by 692 percent. CEO salaries for the
private corporations behind the water supply increased by
an astonishing 708 percent.
▪ As one can expect with such high price
fixing, service disconnection increased by 50
percent. Meanwhile, the British Medical
Association condemned water privatization
for its health effects because dysentery
increased six-fold.
▪ Many of these examples of the failures of
water privatization are occurring in
developed countries, but the most severe
effects have been on the developing world.
▪ Some countries against their will are
being forced to privatize water as a
result of their country being in large
debt to the International Monetary
Fund or the World Bank to help
increase sales and revenue to pay
back their owed money
▪ In 2000, out of 40 IMF loans distributed
through the International Finance
Corporation, 12 had requirements of partial
or full privatization of water supplies.
▪ In Ghana, the World Bank and IMF policies
forced the sale of water at market rate,
requiring the poor to spend up to 50 percent
of their earnings on water purchases
▪ As Vandana Shiva writes in Water
Wars,
▪ “The water crisis is the most
pervasive, most severe, and most
invisible dimension of the ecological
devastation of the earth.”
What can we do as Individuals?
▪ Anybody can be an environmental
steward by being aware and
knowledgeable of the world around
them and making sure they do as little
as possible to negatively impact our
world. Without these groups it would be
hard to get any sort of sustainability in
our increasingly technology, pollution,
industrial based world
▪ There are 3 types of environmental stewards:
doers, donors, and practitioners
▪ Doers go out and help out at the scene physically
▪ Donors use money to donate and raise
awareness to a cause
▪ Practitioners are those that practice
environmental stewardship every day by making
conscious efforts to reduce their carbon
footprint.
▪ Practitioners will eat locally grown
foods, they will reuse and reduce and
recycle all goods to the full extent of the
terms. They will car pool or bike/walk
and may not even own cars
▪ Practitioners will always think about
how their actions and choices will affect
the environment