Deep and shallow green ecology and the tragedy of the commons

Overview

Recall questions on shallow and deep green ecology, sustainable development, and how the tragedy of the commons explains environmental failure.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Define shallow-green ecology.

   Model answer

   Shallow-green ecology prioritises environmental protection for human benefit and accepts economic growth within sustainable limits, viewing nature primarily in terms of its usefulness to humans.

2. 2

   Define deep-green ecology.

   Model answer

   Deep-green ecology holds that nature has intrinsic value independent of human utility and advocates fundamental changes to human relationships with the natural world.

3. 3

   Define sustainable development.

   Model answer

   Sustainable development seeks to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

4. 4

   In the tragedy of the commons, what type of resource is affected?

   Model answer

   A shared resource that is commonly accessible to multiple users, such as oceans, atmosphere, or fisheries, where no single actor has exclusive ownership.

5. 5

   How does individual self-interest contribute to the tragedy of the commons?

   Model answer

   Each individual actor rationally maximises their own benefit from the shared resource, even though collective overuse leads to depletion that harms everyone.

6. 6

   What is meant by overexploitation in the context of the tragedy of the commons?

   Model answer

   Overexploitation occurs when the cumulative effect of individuals each taking more than their sustainable share depletes the shared resource beyond its capacity to regenerate.

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