Commons, Elinor Ostrom, Garrett Hardin, Ostrom's Principles, Tragedy of the Commons, Common-pool resources, Co-management, Environmental governance, Cooperative management, Institutional analysis, Local governance, The Commons Restoration Society, The Cent

Commons are shared natural resources like fisheries or grazing lands. Elinor Ostrom was a scholar who studied how communities successfully manage these resources without overuse, challenging Garrett Hardin’s "Tragedy of the Commons" idea which suggests inevitable depletion without external control. Ostrom identified principles for sustainable management, emphasizing local rules and collaboration. Co-management and institutional analysis refer to shared governance approaches involving communities. Environmental governance and local governance focus on how groups organize to protect resources. Organizations like The Commons Restoration Society work toward restoring sustainable use. These concepts highlight that effective, cooperative management can prevent resource depletion and sustain shared resources over time.