Is There an Environmental Crisis?

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Garrett Hardin introduced ethics into the environmental equation in "The Tragedy of the Commons", a collection of essays on population and resources, which generated thought-provoking analysis across a wide range of disciplines, including environmental law and politics. The author stresses that Hardin's theories have been debated, if not acknowledged, for over 22 years.The paper comments that history has shown that, overall, humans are more reactive than proactive; it often takes a major experience in one's life to take action.

From the Paper:

"Joyner has been involved with CCAMLR as well as the evolution of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 that meets on matters of environment, meteorology, telecommunications and wide-ranging research, and the Protocol on Environmental Protection adopted in 1991 in Madrid as the legal basis for the protection of Antarctica. The Antarctic marine commons, he says, "is the largest and most conspicuous coherent ecosystem on Earth" (145). Interfering with it, by over-fishing krill, for instance, can endanger the entire system. He stresses how states have put aside their differences so mutual agreements could be reached. He cites how opposing sides in the Cold War cooperated in managing the "frozen commons" that included agreeing to inspection schemes and arms control. "The cases analyzed make it evident that environmental regimes do make a difference," he concludes."

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