Word of the month: Commons

In our main article, we discuss energy as a commons. But what is a commons? Generally, the term commons is used to refer to a broad set of resources, used and shared by many people. Originating from Medieval Europe to discuss the way communities managed land held “in common”, we often see the term used to discuss resource governance. Commons have evolved since Medieval Europe, and there are many different types (International Association for the Study of Commons): 

• Natural commons: a finite resource that is necessary to all (i.e forests, fisheries)

• Social commons: human-made commons, meant to protect individuals and societies 

• Urban commons: resources shared by urban residents, such as parks and neighborhood amenities

• Knowledge commons: Information, data and shared content collectively owned and managed by a community of users (i.e Wikipedia) 

The Tragedy of the Commons argues that people, when given a shared resource, will over-harvest/use the resource to the detriment of others for personal self-interest. But there are now plenty of examples that document other outcomes, where communities can effectively manage and share resources - occasionally improving livelihoods.