Common Goods

Common goods, also known as common-pool resources, are resources that are shared by a community and accessible to all, such as fisheries, forests, or clean air. They are subtractable, meaning one person's use reduces availability for others. Managing common goods requires cooperation to prevent overuse or depletion, which is known as the "tragedy of the commons." Effective governance or community management helps sustain these resources for ongoing benefit, balancing individual use with collective preservation.