From Peter Harper, Corsham, Wiltshire, UK
Fred Pearce describes approaches to Garrett Hardin’s “tragedy of the commons” that can’t see the wood for the trees (11 March, p 44). The general pattern of some actors pursuing their own interests to the detriment of the collective interest applies to nearly all environmental problems, including climate change, overfishing, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
These are widely recognised as entailing “market failures” but few, even among economists, believe that solutions lie in privatisation. Jointly agreed and enforced regulation is clearly necessary. A clear analysis of the conflicting interests of the actors is essential to effective policies.
