Our global commons are frequently taken for granted since they do not have any perceived owners. They are being heavily impacted since there are few incentives to manage and use them sustainably. Major threats to the global commons are posed by increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, massive use of fertilizers, and overexploitation of marine fisheries.
2. The assumption that individuals will selfishly abuse or exploit common resources because there is no one to prevent them from doing so is in fact flawed in the case of traditional communities. There common resources are closely regulated by the users who effectively regulate each others behaviour. Anyone overexploiting a resource is overexploiting all other users. The community collectively owns and protects the land. This is different from the situation, as with the exploitation of marine resources, where the costs of exploitation are borne by the world as a whole.