Common-pool resource
Also known as: common good · res communis · CPR
- 1Characterized by being subtractable and difficult to exclude users.
- 2Prone to congestion and overuse.
- 3Consists of a core resource and extractable fringe units.
- 4Requires management to ensure continuous exploitation.
In economics, a common-pool resource (CPR) is a type of good consisting of a natural or human-made resource system, whose size or characteristics makes it costly, but not impossible, to exclude potential beneficiaries from obtaining benefits from its use.
Connections1
Specific type of resource requiring management for the common good
These resources, such as fisheries or forests, highlight the practical challenges of maintaining the common good when individual interests conflict with collective sustainability.
A common-pool resource (CPR) is a type of good that consists of a natural or human-made resource system where it is costly, though not impossible, to exclude potential users. Unlike pure public goods, these resources are subtractable, meaning that consumption by one user reduces the amount available for others, leading to potential issues with congestion or overuse.
Fish stocks in a fishing ground are considered common-pool resources.Wikimedia Commons: File:Vissersboot_op_de_Waddenzee_2021_4.jpg These resources are often described as having a core resource that provides a flow of extractable units. The core must be protected to ensure the system remains productive, while the fringe units can be harvested or consumed. Managing these resources effectively is essential to prevent the depletion of the underlying stock.